Go to Ground
by gem1n1
Summary: AU When the Vampires revealed themselves not everything went to plan. The humans of Bon Temps and throughout Louisiana decide to eradicate them. With mobs of humans guarding the roads and hunting them down how will the vampires escape the true death.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So this is my first True Blood fic and it's something that I could not get out of my head to I decided to write it down. I'm part way through now but I wanted to put it out there and see what people thought of it. I'll be writing whether people like it or not but I guess whether I share or not is yet to be seen.

The idea that came was what if parts of the world shrugged and went OK vampires but a few pockets went completely the other way and the vampires had to make there way out at times needing help from humans through glamour and charm.

I don't own anything although I really wish I did sometimes just so I could have more fun.

When vampires revealed themselves to the world a small part of me was relieved. I was relieved because maybe if there were things that went bump in the night, if there were truths in all those fairy tales I had read as a child then maybe there was a bit of hope for someone like me with my disability.

The other part of me was shocked. I had always hoped there were other things out there so that maybe I wasn't so alone in being different but seeing it on the TV right in front of my eyes was very strange.

I glanced to my left catching Sam's eye. This was a big deal for him too and I could see the slight pinch around his eyes as he took in the reaction of the people around us. He may not be a vampire but he was different and depending on how the public took this little nugget of information, how the world reshaped itself around this would make or break someone of his kind if they found out.

The change in the air around me had my head spinning to the door expecting some passersby having heard on the radio or something. I didn't expect what I saw. He looked like the stereotypical southern gentleman. Smartly dressed with dark hair and deep side burns and a paleness that could only mean one thing after a revelation like that.

He stayed stood by the door his feet finally taking the short step away that had him standing closer to the bar. That small movement seemed to catch the eye of everyone in the room. The air was tense, so thick it was pushing against me, smothering me with each fought after breath I took. I dropped my shields and tried to listen in on him. I wanted to know what he wanted , what he was going to do but there was nothing. No thoughts, no images or feelings or maddening blurs of colours like I sometimes get from Sam just a big ol' blank spot. Stretching out I found another out in the parking lot waiting. I wasn't sure why they were waiting out there but I wasn't going to question it. With the way everyone was eye balling the man, vampire, I'm guessing a second one wouldn't do much good. and then he seemed to pull in on himself.

"Good evening Bon Temps. My name is Bill Compton. I suppose you all know that recently a descendant of mine a Mr Jesse Compton passed away. He was the last of y line and because of that I have decided to return to the area."

I was too busy watching him, listening to his voice and his silence to realize Rene had snuck up behind him bottle in hand. The moment the bottle crashed into him, shards flying everywhere the tension in the room snapped. Every man and woman that wanted in was suddenly on their feet while everyone else ran to the kitchen and hid. Bottles, glasses and pieces of chairs were weapons as the mob pounced on him.

Several went flying. Hoyt was barrelled over when Andy Bellefleur took a kick to the chest crashing into a table. There was hollering and hooting, the crack of bone, the stamp of boot and the clash of breaking glass.

Sam was the one who moved me. I didn't even know I was frozen to the spot 'til he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into the back corridor towards his office. Remembering the other vampire I shook off his arm and bolted for the door, hoping and praying the fight hadn't spilled out and gotten them too.

Rounding the corner I saw her leaning against an expensive looking car, phone to her ear as she watched the front doors. She was young and pretty, blonde like myself and dressed like a trophy wife from the top of her perfectly straight hair to the tip of her pastel, pointed shoes.

The noise from inside grew louder with several more crashes and some more glass breaking. When a hulk of a man went flying out the door I knew time was running out. She may have been strong but the volume of that mob would be too much for anyone supernatural or otherwise. I didn't want her to get hurt at least not by some drunken red necks who feared everything that wasn't one of their own. Maybe even then.

Not taking the chance that calling out wouldn't be heard by the rabble inside I waved my arm around. In a flash of movement she went from casual to ready to fight eyes locked on me. Her hands were curled, fingers arched into claws and although I couldn't seen them from here with the way her top lip looked lifted and the fact I could see her pearly white teeth I guessed she was flashing her fangs at me.

I waved her over but she didn't move. I mouthed at her to come over my heart racing as I became more desperate but still she didn't move. Her hair flicked slightly as she looked from me to the front door. A bar stool went flying through the window, narrowly missing the still body of Mr bulk. I smothered my mouth to stop the scream escaping leaving only a squeak. She still didn't move.

I wouldn't give up. I couldn't give up.

Hoping she would hear me I began whispering praying their hearing was as good as I hoped.

"Please. I'm not leading you to them. I just want you out of their way. They're scared and they've already hurt your friend. Just go on the roof or out into the woods, they won't know where you are and I won't tell them. Promise."

In a blink she was in front of me fangs bared. My heart thump thumped in my chest one, two, three times. I gulped hoping and praying that I wasn't about to pay for the sins of my town.

"He's not my friend," was all she said, her voice smooth and melodic before she whizzed passed me making my pony tail flutter.

I raced back inside making it to the end of the hallway before I realized the main room was quiet. Slowing to a walk I crept around the wall my eyes darting around. On the floor surrounded by a pool of blood and gore was the once neatly dressed Mr Compton. If I hadn't known who was being attacked I wouldn't have known who he was. There was nothing recognizable on him. My feet wanted to rush forward to help him, clean him up or something but my head knew not too and kept them still. My head knew if I went to him, if I went to help him then fellow town member or not I would be next. I shuddered gripping the wall to keep me steady as my stomach rolled.

Breathing deep I moved away from panic and fear and listened to the words of the Governor spilling out of the television. Words like devil and abomination were being thrown around. I tried to let the hateful prejudice words wash over me but true death and unpunished snapped my head to the screen a harsh tightening around my throat choking me. There scrolling along the bottom were the words that Sam and I had prayed not to ever hear or see. Death to all Louisiana Vampires - No punishment for any who take the life of a Vampire.

As the crowd turned back to what was left of Mr Compton I began backing away into the corridor. In my shock my shields had failed. I could hear every hateful word, feel every hateful feeling and then the glee at being able to hurt, to kill with no punishment. They blamed him for everything, wives leaving, money troubles, jobs gone, bad jobs, bad sex, alcoholism and everything else under the sun. It was too much. Wave after wave it hit me over and over and as Rene lifted his improvised stake and drove it into his chest my legs gave in crashing me into the serving hatch wall blinding me with a wall of black as I began to drown under the onslaught.

My vision blurred back into place showing a still moment, each bar patron frozen in place around a garish spot of blood and gore and ash that I couldn't pull my eyes away from. I covered my mouth whether to hold in a scream or a sob I wasn't sure but my rolling stomach made me question it further.

My eyes stayed on the dark patch of the bar floor on what was left of a man, a vampire.

Someone different like me.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A big thank you to all who read and reviewed. I responded to all that I could but I am very greatful.

I own nothing except the fingers I type this with but I a very thankful that CH and AB brought them to us all.

The mob drank for hours after the 'incident'. Hoyt had come over to me limping along with a grimace on his face. His hand ws in my face offering me help up and I accepted still in a foggy haze. He like every other person thought my reaction made me like them, glad he was gone, horrified that something like that could exist. They were right, I was horrified but just not for the reasons that they suspected.

It took three hours before the stench of the vampire remains finally got through their drunken stupor and they all stumbled off home. On a normal night I would have taken all their keys argument or not but tonight neither Sam or myself had it in us. When the last one had gone I brought out a small box from the back room and a bucket filled with piping hot water. After staring at the giant puddle of gore for one too many heartbeats I pulled on my gloves and carefully placed what remained into the box. It had taken a while for the shock to wear off and for my rudimentary shields to give me a little peace. It had taken a while for me to realize Mr Compton was my neighbour in more ways than one. In the Cemetery between my home and the Compton estate there is a gravestone for one William Compton, Civil War Soldier. Given his look and the way of his drawl it wasn't too much of a stretch to believe the grave was empty like so many others that belonged to soldiers of that era.

With the last of the more solid remains in the box I knew I would put him where he belonged in the cemetery beside his wife and family.

Scrubbing brush in hand I began to work on the now dried puddle of blood the hot water burning my flesh even through the gloves. The more I scrubbed the more blood I saw until I realized the good citizens of our fair town had tracked dear Bill throughout the entire bar. It didn't take long for the tears to start falling until the brush was only moving in a ragged pattern powered by my jerking sobs. The more I tried to stop the more came and I had never been more thankful that there was only myself in the main part of the bar.

I hadn't realized a constant stream of 'I'm sorry' had begun to pour from my lips until I heard a smooth voice.

"Why are you sorry?"

I shrieked my tears forgotten. It wasn't an actual scream but I was startled enough to drop the brush and scramble away slipping on the wet floor. There in one of the few chairs that had survived the fight was a man, blonde hair with blue eyes in a leather jacket and dark jeans. I didn't know him, couldn't place his face anywhere in Bon Temps.

"Did you kill him?" I shook my head unable to make words. "Then why are you sorry?" I stared at him trying to force words out of my mouth when I realized I couldn't hear him. He was a vampire. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I should have stopped them. He didn't deserve this." My words although barely a whisper made him lean back in his chair and stretch out his long legs. The chair creaked under his weight as he shifted. He looked huge, a mass of muscle deathly still.

"In my experience when mob mentality kicks in those who get in the way find themselves in a similar amount of trouble."

I nod. I know this but hearing it from another doesn't make the guilt go away.

"I wish it had gone differently," I mourned.

"There is little to be done now," he replied dusting his hands.

I'm about to ask if he is here for the other vampire when she appears at his side, a dark smudge down the sleeve of her pink silk shirt.

"Master," she says cool as cucumber as though she hasn't spent the last few hours in hiding, waiting for the drunken idiots to go home. She looks even more beautiful smudges and all under the bar lights than she did in the moonlight and I can't help but admire her.

As they begin to talk in a language I don't even recognize I go to wipe my face of the last of my tears realizing at the last moment that my glove covered hands are bright red from the blood. Dunking the brush back into the water I get back to scrubbing trying not to pay attention to how each time the brush goes into the bucket the water becomes a darker red.

I've managed to scrub myself backward around the pool table back to infront of the bar where I started when I hear Sam's nervous voice.

He apparently has been in conversation for a while without my noticing. Now three sets of eyes are on me in my soapy, blood tainted watery state.

"You saved her?" Sam asks his voice slightly on the anger side. Apparently that was enough for me in my edgy state. Stomping up off the floor I tossed the brush into the bucket sending water flying everywhere.

"I wasn't going to let the kill someone else."

"She's a vampire Sook. She can take care of herself."

"So was he Sam and he's spread all over the bar. They had just killed one Sam who knows what they would have done to her when they realized." I mentally shudder, my own past making my skin crawl before I lock the feeling away.

"You. Still. Shouldn't. Have."

"What if it was me Sam? Everyone in this town knows I'm different even if they don't really know why. I hear what goes through their heads every damn day and if you think for one second that they wouldn't act of half of those despicable things in that frame of mind when they know they won't get into trouble for it then you're pretty damn stupid!" I watch Sam's eyes widen, the whites threatening to take all the colour in his eyes before I realize what I just said, what I just done.

Taking a deep breath and beginning to pray that the two vampires weren't really paying attention I turn my head to them. Both are staring at me, their faces empty almost bored but their eyes were filled with excitement.

Mentally I try to figure out if it is worth trying to deny anything or everything really or whether I could make it out the back door if I ran fast enough.

"What are you doing with the box?" The abrupt subject change startled me but I follow his eye line and stare at the box sitting on the floor near the bar. It looks too small to have a person in it.

"I'm going to bury him. The cemetery next to my house has his gravestone. I was going to take what's... I was gonna let him rest with his family. It's the least I can do."

I tear my eyes away as I see him stand. My breath leaves me as my eyes continue up and up. He is so tall, so broad and for one heart stopping moment I allow myself to think of how handsome he is. I stop the thoughts straight away. Definitely not the time and not the place and thought like that never work out for me.

The female vampire passed by first stepping behind Sam giving me a slight nod that I take to mean a thankyou or maybe some form of respect. The man passes a sharp thankyou leaving his lips as he steps between us, his eyes clearly on me.

"I thought you didn't thank humans?" Sam snarks and I have to hold the urge to elbow him for his rudeness.

"I don't," was the vampire's reply before he sped out in a blur down the hall and out of sight.

Confused I look at Sam.

"What's that supposed to mean?"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thankyou to all those who read and reviewed. You are all amazing. This is the 3rd chapter and it hopefully keeps the story moving forward. I have written up to chapter 7 but they are all rough right now. I'll try to post a chapter as I finish the next rough chapter. The action is not too far away.

I don't own anything *sad face*

Gran was asleep on the sofa when I finally dragged myself home. I double checked the locks on the doors and windows before making y way to her side. I glanced at the T.V. curious as to watch she had been watching so late. My Gran had the news on and judging the images on the screen things weren't going so well with the Vampires revealing themselves. Goth kids had been attacked, several bars and clubs, a 24 hour dry cleaners and a costume store of all things had been burnt to the ground. There were shots of fighting, grainy video phone evidence of vampires being staked all throughout Louisiana. The only place that there seemed to be no real trouble was New Orleans. Go Figure.

The shot changed from the studio to an elegant looking red head seated on an ivory brocade chair. She looked regal, almost. As I listened to her speaking about equality and there being no dangers to humans anymore I glanced at her name below. Sophie-Ann Le Clerq. She was in New Orleans.

When she began talking about the deaths of her kind and of how barbaric it was and of the cowardice these people were fighting in dozens against one vampire I knew there would be fighting in New Orleans by dawn.

There were clips from Texas and Arkansas and Mississisppi. They were all the same. Death and fire and blood and hate. There were mentions of the President in secret meetings and the army being called in to restore order.

I turned off the T.V.

Looking to my Gran preparing myself for waking her and answering her questions I realised her eyes are open looking at me, streaks of tears running down her cheeks. She hated this as much as I did. My Gran was one of the most loving people I have ever known. She didn't care who or what you were so long as you had good intentions.

The pair of us silently rose and I was ready to help my Gran up to bed when she turned right heading into the kitchen. I followed not really understanding. Slumping into a chair I watched my Gran putt this way and that and pull this out, turning that on. The more I watched the more my brain seemed to shut down. I sat resting my head on my hand, my elbow on the table hoping my Gran wouldn't chastise me for it. Staring out the back door I realised it wasn't dark anymore. Spinning in my seat to the clock on the wall I could have cried. It was five thirty in the morning. I had been awake for twenty four hours. The hours may have been the same length but those twenty four hours were the longest of my life and I was pretty sure it wasn't over yet.

Feeling the cup put into my head I clung onto it with both hands. I was chilled to the bone and looking down at the coffee I could see the liquid dancing as I shook. Was I in shock? I didn't feel like I was in shock. Did you know when you were in shock? The questions suddenly stopped as a plate of cookies came into sight. Gasping at my Gran as she scooped one up and took a bite before winking at me I felt my brain switch back on. Looking back to the plate I lifted a cookie staring at the oats as I scratched them with my thumbnail. I wasn't really hungry.

"What are we going to do Gran?"

"You're a Stackhouse. We do what we always do. " I nodded. I knew what she would say before she said it. It was simple but it's all we needed. Dig in your heels and get on with it. Can't go wrong with it but it didn't stop the fear creeping up the back of my neck.

"Do you think..."

"This town loves you. You are a member of this community just as much as everyone else." I wasn't sure if Gran was trying to convince herself or me. Maybe both. Maybe it only needed one of us to believe it for the two of us to stay strong.

With the bar closed for the day for repairs I had nothing to rush around for. Gran and I stood side by side making breakfast seamlessly passing eachother this and that. Breakfast was ready in no time and as we sat together our laden plates before us I told her about what happened at the bar, about what the good people of the town had done to someone, of what they had done to Sam's bar and about the two vampires that came at the end of the night.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. My Gran knew everyone in town. She grew up with their parents surrounded by their grandparents. As much as she wasn't a gossip she knew everything about everyone. She never once interferred where she wasn't welcome but everyone knew she would help if she could even if it was just with a glass of iced tea and an eager ear. If she couldn't help she certainly knew who could. If there was a town matriach she was it no matter what Maxine Fortenberry wanted.

When breakfast was eaten, the dishes washed and the leftovers put away we both resumed our chairs at the table. The silence was the most comforting thing I had felt since that message flicked up on the T.V. screen.

Gran always has something she could be doing and before too long she was up and out the door gardening tools in hand, off to weed and tend to her roses. I have my books but I know I won't be able to concentrate. I wander the rooms hoping to find something that will keep my mind occupied but there is nothing. The house is beyond clean. Between my Gran and myself very little gets left by the wayside. Creatures of habit I guess you could call us.

I settled on the hottest shower I could stand. I shaved, buffed, washed and conditioned every inch of my body twice. Letting the fluid motion of washing my tanned skin fill my mind I forgot about everything outside the shower curtain. The heady aroma of lavender teamed with the steady stream of steam left me in a relaxed state I didn't think I would ever get out of. Or at least I hoped. Alas all good things come to an end. In this case the hot water.

Emerging in the softest towel I could find I entered my room intent on covering my whole body with lotion. As I rubbed in the lotion I thought about the two vampires from the night before. They were calmer than I expected especially considering we had stood by and let one of their own be killed. Brutally. They almost looked like they couldn't care less.

I suddenly remembered the box in my trunk. Grumbling at the fact I had just had a shower and now needed to go digging in the graveyard I tossed on an old pair of jeans and a simple t and headed downstairs. Just to be safe I told my Gran where I was going. The smile she gave me made me warm inside. A small kind gesture for man who just tried to come home.

The cemetery was thankfully deserted. It would have been hard to come up with an excuse for being there to be honest.

I knew where the grave was. I've pretty much memorized the layout over the years. It was disturbing to walk over to it seeing the ground had been disturbed. A small part of me was worried someone or something had taken up residence there for the day but I figured maybe the man in the box had needed somewhere safe for the day.

The box thankfully wasnt that big so with the soil loose I had the box buried in no time. I kept my shields down hoping no one would come across me but wanting to know just in case. Forewarned is fore armed and all that. I was heading to my parent's graves when my head picked up something. It wasn't much, just a thought about no more vampires and then it was gone. I didn't recognise it but I did realise it was heading towards the cemetery away fro the old Compton place. I quickly tossed the shovel behind a memorial bench and dropped to my knees at my mother's grave moving around leaves and flowers as the mind got closer and closer.

Willing my heart to slow down I kept my head down and my hands moving as the person's footfalls stuttered before walking around me giving me a wide berth as they slipped into the trees humming the national anthem. It still wasn't familiar. Breathing deep at not being caught burying a dead man in his grave I stood brushing the dirt from my knees. The smell that filled my nose was very distinctive and very hard to miss were the large black clouds stretching into the sky from the Compton estate.

Cursing under my breath I turned and ran as fast as could back to the farmhouse hoping and praying the fire service could get there before the fire destroyed everything.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for all the reads and reviews! They make me very happy and very nervous. This chapter is a little shorter than I intended but there was a lot of fluff that I didn't like so I cut it out.

The usual disclaimer of it's not mine and just taking it out for a spin.

By the time the fire was put out the house was barely standing. It's state of disrepair teamed with a large volume of accelerant meant the house was doomed moments after the fire was lit. The charred remains of the house reminded me of it's former owner. It's vampire owner. I barely managed to pull my hair back before I lost my breakfast in the bushes.

When the nausea finally subsided I turned and fled. I needed home, I needed comfort, I needed to be away from so much hate. Stepping into the house however I found my brother instead. He was sprawled on the sofa, beer in hand watching something on the T.V. I guessed a sport of some kind.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

There on the screen was the President speaking out about what was happening down here in the South. Apparently the South hadn't taken too well to the news. He was talking about our struggles as a country through race, sex and sexual preference and that yet again we were repeating ourselves. He asked for equality and understanding. He asked for the violence to end, for the loss of lives to end. I agreed with everything he said but I knew it would fall on deaf ears no matter how much I prayed.

Making my way to the chair I sat carefully on the edge reading the words that scrolled across the screen. Over three hundred vampires had been reported dead or missing. Over two thousand people had been killed in the attacks many a case of mistaken identity. All of them bar two were in the southern states.

I couldn't read anymore so I searched out Gran. She was bustling away in the kitchen making dinner. Standing in the doorway I watched her for a while. I never thoguht of her as old even though I knew she was. The years were catching up on her slowly but day to day it never looked like it. Right now she was carrying those years like a lead weight around her neck. She was stooped over and moving a little more stiffly than usual. My chest ached when I thought of losing her. It was inevitable I know that but it didn't make that pain any less.

When I moved to help I was shooed away with complaints that I smelled of smoke. I couldn't really tell. It was all I could smell.

Ten minutes passed in which I managed to wash, redress and put on a load of laundry. With the smell of burning timber replaced with lavender in my nose the last thing I wanted was for my dirty clothes to sit in the hamper and bring it all back. And not just the smell.

Eating with my brother is never a quiet affair. There's his moans and groans as he appreciates the food, his cutlery scraping across this plate as tried to scoop up his next mouthful and then the noise of him trying to talk around the food currently in his mouth followed by the my Gran chastising him. Today was no different. He was regaling us with tales from the mouths of others about the fight at Merlottes. I blanked that out 'til he started talking about a house fire at a nest in Monroe and about a businessman in a red Corvette having fire bombs tossed through the windows as he pulled up at a red light.

My brother knew dozens of stories that happened all over the Parish and stretching into Shreveport. Each story he told wes more horrific than the last and I began to wonder if we were in a war zone. Judging by the clips on the news maybe we were. I wondered if there were any vampires left in the state. Had they all been killed by now or had they all fled the state? Maybe even the country? I wondered about the two blonde vampires I had met. Where were they?

"Are you listening Sook?"

"Yeah sorry Jase. Got lost in my head for a sec."

"Don't you be worried or nothin'. After that Vamp turnin' up at the bar we going to be watchin' out for 'em. I won't let no vampire hurt nobody. I got me a crew together and we're gonna be patrollin' and stuff at night."

"Won't that just scare people Jase?"

"We just gonna sit on the bed of my truck with guns and stakes and keep watch for any of 'em." _Gonna catch me a vamp stake 'em and then the women will want me even more._

I looked down at my food to hide my rolling eyes. I tried to stay out of my brother's head but sometimes it was hard when he thought the sounds of their plan aside from being the epitome of red neck they were a bunch of men trying to get lucky. Nothing new about that in these parts on both counts.

Gran didn't look to be too pleased about what Jason was going to be doing and I didn't blame her one bit. Other than mentally sighing at how easily Jason became a follower of pretty much anything especially if it came in a pretty package she kept her disapproval to herself.

"Now you just stay safe Jason. I don't want you and these other fellas getting into any trouble or gettin' yourselves hurt, you hear."

Jason looked like he was ready to argue, to defend his decision when it clicked that he wasn't being told no. I can't even remember the last time Gran told him no for something outside of our teenage years but it had obviously left a mark on my brother. Although he did get told no an awful lot more than me.

"Okay Gran. I will don't worry." Problem was that's all Gran and I would be doing knowing he was out there armed.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm double posting today. The other chapter ended up being shorter than was intended so I'm making up for it with this one. I want to thank all readers and all reviewers. You all make me excited and nervous at the same time.

Short disclaimer that they aren't mine and I don't think CH or AB would like what I've done to their character anywho.

Once Jason had left with an armful of leftovers for the few he would be meeting later in the night I set about cleaning the kitchen and putting the table back to rights. I hustled Gran into the other room and put a book in her hand and a glass of iced tea beside her. She seemed happy and comfortable and I needed to keep moving so as to not think about the horror of the world around me. I was scared and that wasn't a feeling I was keen on.

It took no time to clean and tidy even after I invented a few jobs to do. I was still moving around searching for something to do when I remembered the shovel I had left at the cemetery. Telling Gran where I was going and why I sauntered out intent on making it last a while. I don't like not doing things especially when my mind is chock full of horrible things. I can lie out and sunbathe easily but sometimes my mind is running then thinking about bills and to do lists while the sun tingles by skin.

The sounds of a scuffle reached my ears before the thought reached my mind. My shields were up tight and strong. There were four people and one blank spot up ahead. I knew instantly that it was a vampire. I froze. I wasn't sure what to do. Should I run away, get to safety in case the vampire wins and thinks I'm a threat? Or run in case the humans won and decided to turn their hate on me? Or should I go and help? Could I live with myself if they killed another when I could have done something? Again? Would I even be of much help? What if by helping the vampire the town turned on me? They certainly weren't known to be open minded especially now.

A shriek of pain had me running. I knew where they were and I knew I would need something to help fight them off. I was by no means a big girl. Blonde and blue eyes rarely looks intimidating. Slowing my footsteps I kept my shields down as I crept towards the bench with the shovel.

The sun had fully set whilst I had been walking but there was just enough light from the two lamps to make out the shadowed figures of the four large men. There was no way to see who they were but I knew one was JB from his simple thoughts. The others were cold and dark and judging by the not very gentlemanly thoughts the vampire was female. Lifting the shovel carefully so it didn't scrape on the dry ground I ducked behind a large gravestone hoping I hadn't been seen. Judging the grunts and snarls and the occasional thuds I gathered I'd not. Peering around the edge when everything got quiet I saw the female vampire from the bar. There was blood down her arm and face and staining her clothes but she was still standing even if she was surrounded. She was pale, paler than I remember her being and I had to wonder if she was hurt somewhere I couldn't see. I could hear the men trying to work out the best way to attack, the best way to get behind her defenses. They had chain, lots of silver chain so they could hold her down.

Her eyes flicked to me and then the two shadows in front of me. I knew what she was asking for and I mentally prepared myself changing my grip on the shovel so I could swing it easily. Quick as a flash she moved to the two behind her, breaking ones arm as he went to stab her with a knife. Jumping behind him the other took aim with his rifle putting a shot into his friend's chest before the vampire tossed his friend at him. I rose smoothly swinging the shovel like a bat. I only managed to hit the guy between his shoulders but he went down his head clipping the gravestone in front of him.

"Sookie?" I had forgotten about the other one but as I turned ready to defend myself the female vampire was already on him, her mouth latched onto his neck. JB went from tense to lax in seconds his eyes rolling back into his head as the vampire fed and fed. When he finally dropped to the ground the vampire looked pinker, rosier in the cheeks that looked hollow only moments before. I looked on horrified yet frozen as she licked the blood from her lips. I could have stayed stood there all night staring but the mental chatter of more people spoiling for a fight snapped me to attention.

"We have to go," I said quietly already heading towards the opposite exit to the voices. It took a few steps before I realized she wasn't following. She was slightly crouched looking in the direction of the oncoming mob. "Look I don't doubt that you could rip them all to pieces and you might enjoy it too but I don't. I'm leaving before they get here. I suggest you do the same but if you stay I won't stick my neck out for you again." I started walking again making my pace as brisk as I could without all out running.

"No one asked you to," she called out thick with an indignant tone. I wasn't sure if it was because I butted in on her business or because she didn't think she needed help, either way I didn't care. I could hear voices with my ears and my head now. I started running passing the cemetery border. Running up hill isn't easy especially not with a large shovel in your hands and most definitely not with adrenaline draining out of my system.

On shaky legs I headed up the last stretch to the house. I was barely to the front porch when I spotted the female vamp stood off to the side near the trees. My heart damn near stopped at the sight of her. She glowed. It wasn't much but with the little bit of light that shone out from the security lights I could see her pale skin glowing in the darkness.

We stood and stared at each other. She was perfectly still, unmoving like a statue where as I was panting, my body swaying as I calmed down. She moved towards me and it almost looked like she staggered. One step, two steps stumble and fall to her knees. I was moving towards her shovel forgotten. I knelt beside her and that's when I saw it. A piece of rebar was pushed through her stomach piercing out the back. Both ends were bent slightly so I knew not only must this truly hurt but it must have taken a lot of force but also a lot of hate.

"What do I do?"

"Pull it out."

"I can't the end are bent it will rip you to shreds."

"Pull it out. I will heal."

"I don't think I can."

"Look that mob will catch up with me and then I will be truly dead. Don't let all your hard work be in vain." It would have sounded better if she hadn't used a bored, flat tone but still I knew she was right.

"From the front or the back?" I asked scrambling to my feet. I wasn't sure how or if I could do this but I was going to try.

"Back. The coward snuck up on me."

Standing behind her I gripped the rebar, one hand of the bend the other on the straight. Peering over her shoulder I began to pull. It was slow and the rebar was biting into my skin but it was her hiss that made me stop.

"Don't stop." I could swear she was gritting her teeth.

I hesitated but the wave of hate and anger that washed over me had me tugging faster. Looking for the bend I shifted the angle and yanked throwing the rod away into the tree line as hard as I could.

The vampire was bent over head to the ground. Lifting one of her arms I put it over my shoulder and hoisted her up ignoring the hiss and the flash of fang as we moved towards the house. She was a little bit taller than me so it was a little difficult but she was helping me.

When we reached the open door I was held in place as though I was hitting an invisible door.

"You have to invite me in." It's how it works."

"Come in, come in, come in," I said frantic as I all but dragged her through the door thrusting the pair of us into the spare room.

I'd not even let go of the vampire when heavy footsteps fell on the porch followed by a heavv pounding on the door frame.

Sitting the vampire into the chair in the corner I looked down at her only to see a red angry looking line surrounded by the shredded remains of her top and a very large, very dark blood stain in place of the hole the rebar left behind. Stumbling back in shock I almost fell over the old storage chest. I was staring open mouthed at her. I knew it wasn't very polite but I couldn't make myself stop.

"Sookie! Sookie!" my Gran called from the front door her voice a little frantic. I turned ready to run out of the room but her voice stopped me.

"I wouldn't go out there like that if I were you." She was right. Blood splatters and smears of dirt covered my top. I panicked for a second maybe two before calling back to Gran before diving head first into the storage chest. One of Jason's old hoodies, faded and soft with age, was sitting on top. I pulled it on quickly moving out of the room as I tugged it into place.

Hoyt was stood at the door the yet again forgotten shovel in his hand.

"Hi there Sookie. This yours?" Hoyt asked gesturing to the tool in his hand. He looked a little bruised on on the cheek, his chin and forehead grazed. I guessed it was from the bar the other night.

"Sure is. I must have dropped it."

"Thirty feet from the house sis?" I didn't like the accusatory tone in Jason's voice as he came up the porch and judging the way Gran shifted beside me I guessed she didn't either.

"I heard something moving around in the trees. I wasn't taking any chances given what happened the other night. " Let them read into that however they wanted.

"Did you see it?"

"See what? A vampire? No just heard some twigs snapping and the trees moved around a bit. I just ran. Thanks for bringing that back for us though." I didn't want to confirm or deny outright incase anyone decided to loiter whilst I had a guest.

"That's no problem sis. You two stay in tonight OK."

"What ever for?" Gran asked her jovial tone changing the tension like the flick of a switch.

"A vampire was in the cemetery Gran. Killed four people and hurt a bunch of others but we hurt it real bad so it gotta be around here still." They can't come in unless you ask 'em so don't OK?"

I smiled instead of rolling my eyes at my baboon of a brother. Trust him to only take on some of the facts.

"OK, will do. What you doin' now?"

"We are heading back to the cemetery. Collecting our men," Hoyt supplied smiling at me a 'd always been a little sweet on me.

"Fallen heros," Jason intersected. That I did roll my eyes at.

"Yeah, yeah and then we're headed to the Compton place, what's left of it. Figured it would be a good place to hide if we were vamps." Gran nodded so I did putting a small smile face on hoping it would be enough to make them leave. Neither of us wanted to encourage them but having them hanging around was going o be a problem.

"Well you boys be careful. I can't imagine it being very safe over there after the fire."

"We will Gran don't you worry," and with that they were gone, leaving the shovel leaning against the side of the house. I almost breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ladies should I be concerned about a relative of yours being in the lynch mob?" Gran just about flew out of her skin at the unexpected voice. I kept my eye on my brother until he was too far to be seen then opened my mind to check for anyone lingering around.

I must have been distracted pushing out a far as I can reach because it took Gran nudging my arm to catch my attention. I'm not sure how long she had been calling me.

"Sorry what was that?"

"I asked if you could get our guest a clean shirt to wear."

"Yes, sorry yes. I'll be just a second."

I dashed up the stairs barrelling into my room. Several minutes of glaring at the limited selection that I had before I realized I doubted I had anything that would fit into the high end, highly expensive caliber that she clearly enjoyed. Opting for a plain white t shirt that still had creases from it's packaging I came down the stairs to the sound of my Gran discussing the antique tea set she was given as a wedding gift with the vampire. With the relaxed nature the two now had I gathered Gran had straightened things out about Jason.

I waited for them to acknowledge me before offering the t shirt. Quick as a flash she was into the white t the remnants of her own top in her hand.

"Wow." It was only a whisper but with the twitch of the vampire's mouth I guessed she heard it.

"Now then Pam why don't we take a seat whilst we wait for this maker of yours." I stared at my Gran not quite believing what I just heard. Only my Gran could make a surreal moment sound like a regular occurrence. I settled down in the seat next to Gran allowing the vampire, Pam, the full view of the doors and windows.

"Have all the vampires left Louisiana?" Gran asked almost perched on the edge of her seat.

"Many left for the north on the first night but many believed this would die down. My maker had obligations that he couldn't step away from and I refused to leave him. I stayed here but rested in a separate place as a precaution."

"And you chose Bon Temps Cemetery?"


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I got this chapter finished faster than I expected and with the last few chapters coming to me swiftly I decided to use a little bit of my spare time to post this one. I want to thank all those who have read and all those who have reviewed. It's great to see people enjoying my madness. I'm sure I've answered all reviews but if I have missed you I'm sorry but a big thank you regardless.

Gran ever the host apologised for not having anything to offer a vampire to which Pam smirked a knowing smile. I guess it should have made us nervous but it didn't.

"I have spent my day rest in worst places I can assure you but it was more of a necessity. Sun rise came upon me sooner than I expected." She suddenly sat straighter, her head twitching to one side as her face remained blank. "He is here."

At the harsh banging that seemed to shake the house my Gran rose, adjusting her dress before heading to the door. There was silence, then a quiet murmuring sound. My Gran walked back in looking dazed followed by a blur that materialised into the vampire from the bar. He cradled Pam's face in his large hands before kissing her forehead. It was an oddly touching moment that belied the strength the two of them had. The tenderness did seem out of sorts given the circumstances with which we met once again.

Seeming to acknowledge another presence in the room the vampire turned to me, his eyes flickering before turning to Gran anger filling his eyes.

"Come both of you. I'm freeing you."

"Freeing me from what? What did you do to my Gran?" She didn't even flinch as my voice rose.

"Your Gran?" He asked his voice deep and gravelly.

"Yes that woman there is my Gran. Undo whatever you did to her." I skimmed over her head only finding a fuzzy nothingness.

"You have helped this woman take my child?" Oh he was pissed.

"What are you talking about? I brought Pam here after she was skewered by the nut bar posse that's going around trying to kill everything."

"One of whom happens to be your brother?" Pam's voice was flat. It was more statement than question. If looks could kill I'd be dead twice over by the way they were looking at me.

"Ok yes he is but he's never been the sharpest tool in the shed and he kinda gets caught up in things. The more people get excited about something the more he gets excited. The more excited he gets the more dumb stuff he does. I'm not sure if he could actually ever hurt someone." I was panting by the time I finished desperately trying to pull as much air as I could into myself as I tried to cool the anger and the frustration that was building up inside of me. My eyes fell to Gran's face. It was slack, her eyes staring off into the beyond creeping me out.

"Please let her go. She was only trying to help."

"It's true master. They could have handed me over the the brother but they didn't. They kept me hidden." He stared at me taking in every inch as though memorising me physically would answer an unasked question.

"Why help us?" He was still tense but the edge had left his voice now.

"Self preservation with a mix of morality."

"Self preservation?"

"You opened the door to things that are strange, different, that go bump in the night. When they are done with you they will always be on guard. I'm not normal. It's only a matter of time before they come after me too."

"So as long as we are around you have someone to throw into the mob to keep the finger from pointing at you?" The anger was back in his voice as he stepped forward and I could feel the frustration coming back. Why couldn't he understand.

"NO!" I huffed flopping down onto the sofa. "If you are alive, undead, around, then there's a chance of people seeing sense and getting used to the idea. Then everyone else who is different won't be next in front of the firing squad." I hoped he could understand now. I wasn't sure he would though.

"Why not move away to somewhere more tolerable?" Pam asked. Her face and voice were bored, blank but there must have been some curiousity in there somewhere.

"How? With what? I live quite happily here all things considered. There's enough people to keep me social but lot's of space and privacy to keep me sane."

"Then why help us?" He must have read the confusion from his question on my face as he continued. "If someone was to find out you were helping us you would be in as much danger as us. Whether it is legal or not they would hurt you."

"Are you going to tell them?" At them both shaking their heads I nodded slapping my hands on my knees as I stood up. "Then no one will find out."

I looked at Gran before looking at him pointedly. He seemed to take the hint and released my Gran from whatever hold he had on her. She had barely blinked and gotten her bearings when the phone began to ring. Shuffling over giving the new vampire a once over Gran answered it and given to the side I could hear I could only guess that it was Maxine Fortenberry. She was the town gossip and she obviously was telling Gran some bad news. I hope it wasn't Jason. Both vampires stood staring at each other apparently having a conversation that we weren't meant to hear.

When the call ended Gran was pale and leaning heavily on the wall.

"Gran what is it? Is it Jason? What happened Gran?" I took her arm easing her over to the armchair before kneeling at her feet.

"That was Maxine Fortenberry. She said that the group of boys your brother is with caught a vampire. They wrapped silver chain around his neck, dragged him into the street and staked him for all to see. He was at Dawn Green's house. Oh Sookie they killed her too. Wrapped the chain from the vampire around her neck and strangled her in her own bed." I know Dawn. I work with Dawn. She wasn't the greatest person in the world and was a bit too loose for me but I would never wish this on her.

"We will be leaving."

"What?" I asked leaping to my feet.

"This area in unstable we must leave," and with that they vamp sped out the door. The door clattered as it swung back towards the wall before the momentum began closing it.

This was all too much. Murder, death, violence and hate all piggy backing on the vampire revelation. A painful throb settled in my temples it's beats following the pounding of my heart. As Gran bustled off into the kitchen muttering something about her heart under her breath I began to curse myself.

Dawn had been killed for harbouring a vampire. Whether she was complicit or not they brutally killed her. I had helped a vampire twice, the second time actually hurting someone in the process. My conscience may have objected to me turning away to save my own skin but shouldn't I have considered Gran. What would I have done if Hoyt and Jason had found the vampire in my house? Should I be so willing to put my Gran's neck on the line? This wasn't her fight. Despite how she felt she is just a human. Technically this wasn't even my fight but in a way it was. I was different. It wasn't obvious to the naked eye but there were differences about me that would show over time no matter how hard I tried to hide.

Flopping down onto the sofa I scrubbed at my face with both hands. Maybe if I rubbed hard enough everything would work out, everything would make sense and then I wouldn't have a ball of fear in my chest pushing on my heart.

"There's no use worryin' Sookie. The world will do what it wants for now but sooner or later cooler heads will prevail. You'll see. It tends to take folks a while to adjust. There's still folks round here who hold onto the grudges from the Civil War but they get on with life. It might not go away completely but it will get better."

"Yes Gran." Feeling her eyes boring into the top of my head I took a sip of the tea she had brought in with her before speaking again. "I brought this to our door."

"Child it was already there clearing the mud off it's boots. The most that can be done now is finding our courage and facing tomorrow. We don't know what the Lord will show us but we can only hope that the good deeds we have done would be repaid should we find ourselves in need."

Gran was right. I could feel her words down into the core of my being but I still felt guilty. If anything were to happen to Gran because of what I had done I don't know what I'd do.

"I've lived a good life, Sookie and I like my life but I won't see another suffer when I can do something about it. It's how I was raised and it's how I raised you and your father."

"Shame Jason never took to it."

"Bless that boy. I love Jason, Sookie but I'm sure my hair went white before it's time because of that boy's tom foolery."

I chuckled into my tea, my heart thanking my dim witted brother for bringing a little light into our conversation even if he'd never know it was at his own expense.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: This is my most reviewed story. It's a strange thing and a wonderful thing. It's strange because this is some weird rambling thing scribbled into my notebook each morning over breakfast and each lunch time with a sandwich in my hand but it's wonderful because you all seem to be enjoying said rambling. I am very grateful for every person who clicks the link for my story whether you stay to read on or not. Thank you.

Everyone belongs to C.H. I just wanted to play for a little bit.

A week passed by and it seemed as though life had returned to normal. The TV was filled with scandal with several governors and other high officials being arrested. The army had been pulled in to serve high violence areas. Here in our quiet little town people went back to work, back to drinking and back to thinking I was Crazy Sookie, cute but dim with a side of strange.

My week was like any other - work, housework, trips to the grocery store and to the library around the occasional tanning session. Work's hours were busy with many coming back out of their homes. No one said anything but they were thinking about Dawn every now and again and about how Vampire Bill had died in the bar. No one was really spilling a tear over them but sometimes I would get flashes of Bill or the other Vampire that was killed. They would leave me off centre for a while 'til I could shore up myself up and lock myself down.

By Saturday night I figured it was all done with. I relaxed a little and settled into my shift a little more, the smile on my face a little more genuine. I was working a double on account of Dawn's 'passing'. I wasn't happy about the fact she was dead but I was sure thankful of the extra shifts that came my way and I was very grateful for the tips that came with it.

I was waiting on two pitchers from Sam for my brother's table when several of them bustled out. Worried I'd be stiffed for the bill and the tip I checked to see two tables had been pulled over. A couple of shifty looking men, one reed thin, the other stocky had joined the group along with the Rattrays. I knew it all spelled trouble and it made me nervous for Jason's sake. I still didn't know if he was involved in killing the vampire. He however seemed blissfully ignorant. Laughing and joking with Hoyt and Catfish rocking back and forth on his chair legs he smiled a big toothy smile at me, waving when he saw me lifting the pitchers and making my way to him.

As much as I knew my brother was old enough and strong enough to take care of himself (his words whenever Gran fussed) I pulled down my shields as I approached the table. The two new people were easy to sort from the others and sadly their thoughts were no different that any other man's single or not after they've had a drink or two. Breasts and sex with a few other vulgarities added to the mix.

"Thanks sis'!" Jason hollered even though I was only a foot away from him. Hopefully he wouldn't have too much more to drink from the two new pitchers with the new additions to the table. Hearing a mix of a food order and a sexual position I figured would be more painful than enjoyable from one of the Rattrays I stuck my brightest smile on as I backed away. I'd barely spun on my heel and made it a single step away when stocky thought of the possibility that I was a dumb as my brother and wondered if I was as quick to get into bed as he was.

I hated those thoughts. I wasn't a big fan of any of the sexual things people thought about me. I could barely cope when they reminisced about the night before with whoever crossed their path. Usually a quick tightening of my shields and a scurry away worked with that. When they thought about me in those situations though it was like they were pushing the thoughts in my head getting in and around my shields. Some were more innocent if a little gross like Mike wanting to 'suck the toes on my dainty feet' but others that were filled with leather and blood and sharing. Those made me sick to my stomach and leery of the tables. I know there is a difference between what people say and what people think. I've known that since I was a child hearing loving words leave my parent's mouths whilst their heads were filled with fear.

Doing a quick circuit of my tables I gathered up sauces and ran back and forth with refills and pitchers. It wasn't long before I was praying for the end of my shift. My feet were throbbing, my legs and back aching. I was here until closing and that was still two hours away. Normal Saturdays are bad enough but I don't usually close. Dawn used to close on Saturdays because I would close Fridays. There was no Dawn now though and Arlene didn't want it because of the kids. She grumbled plenty for a bit though about losing out on the tips but even that couldn't sway her.

The noise level of the bar began to drop down as table after table left until it was only my brother's table remaining. They were talking quietly, hushed tones that I couldn't make out. Flashes of blood and fang, of a room full of windows filled with light were bouncing around their heads. So immersed in the silence of the bar I flew out of my skin sending a ketchup bottle crashing to the bar floor as the door smashed open with the original members of the table returning. They had vicious smiles on their faces.

Their smiles did nothing to calm my nerves. No words were said only looks shared between each of them. I moved away hoping not to pick up anything from the group but it was useless. There were no words only images one after the other as though someone was flicking through a stack of photos. Red, rope, house, light, window, Dawn, chain, stake, dark eyes, Maudette Pickens, fangs, tattoos, blood, purple nails, scratches, green eyes, dark hair, truck, stake.

I slammed my eyes shut staggering until I hit the bar the sharp pain on my elbow shattering the reel playing in my head. Sam was at my side instantly. I couldn't hear him but I could feel his heat. It made me feel sick, my body shaking, trembling under the shock. Nausea was rolling around with the emptiness I could feel inside. I opened my eyes. Taking a deep breath I smiled at the concerned faces staring at me.

"I'm OK. I think I just over did it today." Everyone seemed relieved although Sam sent me a curious look. "Let's be goin' fellas," Rene said rising from his chair and dropping a few notes on the table. He came over to me putting a note in my hand standing closer than he should. "You are a good girl Sookie. Stay strong."

"I will Rene," I smiled even though him being near me made my skin crawl. I wanted to scream that I know what he was doing but I couldn't. Jason gave me a brief hug before high tailing it out the doors.

I waited until the cars left the lot and Sam had locked front doors before speaking. The words were hard to speak, tangled up in fear and dread but they had to be spoken.

"Sam, they've killed again."

"A vampire?" I nodded not wanting to say the next bit.

"And Maudette Pickens."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I keep going over it and whilst it isn't a filler I just don't like it. I cannot however get around the feeling so I give you the next chapter. The words belong to me but the characters don't.

No one seemed to care that Maudette had been killed. Most folks thought as little about her as they had about Dawn. It made me nervous. I went to school with those girls. They worked the same kind of job as me.

Gran cared. She went down the the Sheriff's office the day the news broke asking him what he was going to do about the two deaths. Bless my Gran she laid it on thick with him. He wasn't too much younger than Gran but Gran knew his mom and Dad. She even watched his sister a time or two before she passed away as a teen. She laid on the guilt talking about how it could have a nice, young girl like his sister or like me. I expected her to go on about me being pure as fresh fallen snow and about neighbourhood spirit but she left it at that. I guess she knew as well as I did that Bud wasn't going to do a damn thing, not for 'those' kinds of girls. That's how he put it in his head. 'Those' girls.

I didn't quite approve completely of the way way the two of them led their quite loose lives but they were their lives. They could live them how they wanted. I certainly wasn't going to begrudge anyone finding happiness anyway they could. There was a shortage off that in this town long before the vampires came out.

I had another late night the next night but thankfully I wasn't closing. Jason came in with the road crew at the end of the work day. They were a little more subdued than usual when they came in but perked up by the second pitcher. Arlene had them in her section and with the way they were flashing the cash around I'm guessing she was glad.

She'd had an on again, off again thing with Rene for over a year. They were currently off but the way he was grabbing her butt and winking at her I'd say they would be back on by tomorrow. It wouldn't have bothered me too much except every now and then I'd get a flash of Dawn's or Maudette's face from his head. It was mainly Maudette and not always of her face. By the end of my shift I not only knew that Rene had been there when they were killed or in Maudette's case been the one to kill her but what he had gone back and done to them once everyone else had gone.

I didn't linger. I handed over my almost empty section to Arlene grabbed my bag and sprinted to my car losing my dinner in the trees beside it. When I got my wits about me I grabbed a tissue from my bag wiped away the tears and made my way home. If Gran asked I'd say Rene killed them or was at least involved but I wouldn't mention what else happened. She didn't need to know that. Hell I didn't deserve to know let alone see.

Gran knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into the house. I told her what she needed to know and tried to not look guilty when she asked if there was more. Apparently the green tinge I had acquired had her backing off quite quickly in that Southern manner way only Gran could ever get away with.

She had long since gone to bed when I was still sat in the living room some random history documentary on the T.V. trying to get my mind away from the horror that was around me and failing. Everytime I cleared my mind the images would creep back in. I'd never felt so inclined to drink my problems away as I did right at that moment.

I shook myself grabbed the blanket from the back on the chair and wrapped myself up. I wasn't cold per se but I did feel slightly chilled most likely some kind of shock because of what I got from Rene's head.

The show was just coming back from a break so I chose to focus on it hoping thoughts of the show would get me away from all the death. It ended up being about Vikings. I groaned almost burying myself in the blanket when I heard a familiar voice. On the screen was the vampire from the bar, long hair and all only he had on a pair of adorkable glasses and had a heavy accent. The caption said his name was Leif. He had numerous artifacts handed down through the generations with him and were believed to belong to a Viking named Eirikr. This was apparently a very distant relative. I couldn't help but laugh. I guessed the makers of the documentary wouldn't have known he was a vampire at that time. Looking at the pieces he had, a brooch, a ring, a crown, a dagger I was surprised he didn't have a sword. I wondered if maybe that was kept for his private, more practical collection. The thought made me squeamish. There were images of heads being chopped off in my head.

I honed back on his voice listening to him talk about some farming land somewhere on the Sweden/ Norway border that had remained in the family. I looked around the room amazed how things in my life were passed on from one generation to the next. Was that where my telepathy came from? His only were on paper in reality but the thought of something going on and on for such along time was astonishing.

As the credits rolled up the screen it dawned on me. If he had Viking artifacts and was a vampire he was most likely over a 1000 years old. Resting my head against the back of the chair I allowed my mind to rest on the fact I'd had a Viking Vampire in my home.

Checking all the windows and doors for maybe the third or fourth time I went to the cleaning cupboard. Moving aside the mops and brushes I pulled out the shot gun from the corner. The other had already been taken. I couldn't blame Gran. Loading two shells from the box on the shelf above my head I took two more with me before heading up. I expertly made my way around every creak in the stars. I didn't need to wake Gran as I headed to bed. There was no way I wanted to alarm an armed woman.

The shotgun went against the wall beside my bed. It was within reach should I be woken whilst sleeping. I didn't think I would use it only moments after my head hitting the pillow. Thankfully I didn't fire. I would have had a pissed of vampire on my hands and possibly a damaged chair aswell as a startled Gran.

"How did you get in here?" I asked shot gun still raised. It was steady, it's aim perfect even though my heart was rocking my chest with each beat.

"You were very thorough with the doors and windows downstairs. However the catch on your window is broken." My brow furrowed trying to figure out how he climbed the side of the house without making a noise. "You're invitation still stands for my progeny and I."

"Who?"

"Pam. The blonde I was with. She is my child, I created her. Are you intending on shooting me?" I knew Pam. I knew she was his child. She called him her maker before.

"Are you gong to bite me?" He shook his head his hands steepled in front of him. I lowered the gun putting it back against the wall.

"How can I help you at four thirty in the morning Mr...?

"Northman, Eric Northman."

"Huh. I watched a documentary about Vikings and you were in it. They said your name was Leif Erikson."

"Yes. I made that one a number of years ago. I'm usually contacted at least once a year in an attempt to see my artifacts or interview me for something or other. Pam finds it tedious."

"I enjoyed it." He smiled or more smirked.

"What do you know of the deaths in Bon Temps?"

"Human or vampire?" At this raised eyebrow I guessed the humans weren't too important to him. "There's one main group that seems to be dealing the hunting and killing. The others are just a bunch of idiots sitting on the bed of a truck drinking and screwing around with fire arms. I only know a couple of members personally but the others I know by sight. They're in the bar every night. The first was Mr Compton which you knew, the second a native American looking vampire with long dark hair and the other Japanese maybe. He had tattoos all down his arms and across his chest."

"Anyone else?"

"The Compton place was burnt down during the day after Compton died. I don't know if there was anyone in there. By the time the fire department got there it had almost burned completely so they left it to burn itself out. Would there have been anything left it there was a vampire in there?"

"No, there wouldn't and yes I believe there were several more vampires there. I have had vampires I didn't know where in my area reported missing."

"The women who were killed would they have been glamoured into letting the vampires stay? Like you did to Gran?"

"If they were who I suspect no. They were regular companions for my associates. They may not have completely understood what they were until recently but they would have still been welcome. Why? Are you blaming vampires for their deaths?"

"No I'm blaming the people who killed them for their deaths. I wanted to know if they were innocent and killed by a mob or if they actually had been providing a safe haven."

"Safe Haven?"

"Shelter, protection, somewhere to lay their heads."

"I think they laid down more than their heads." There was that smirk again.

"Hey, no dirty talk."

"Surely working in a bar you have heard worse?"

"Heard worse and seen worse but I am still a lady." I tapped my temple to let him know it wasn't always with my eyes.

"I know. I can smell it," I wasn't sure if it was the leer or the heat in his eyes but I could feel the flush burning through the skin on my face and chest.

He sniffed the air and I hoped I had scrubbed enough in the shower to get rid of the bar smells.

"Delicious," seeing my questioning yet disgusted face he smirked. It suited him. "You smell so much better than most humans. Do you know why?"

"Does this have anything to do with saying I wasn't human in the bar?"

"Yes. You are not human at least not entirely. Have you ever wondered what else could be out there?"

"I know about shifters and Weres." I replied chin held high in defiance. I might not know everything but I knew some things.

"Your boss?" he asked eyebrow raised as he leaned forwards, elbows to his knees. "There are other things more magical than shifters in this world and others. I believe the other part of you is responsible for your gift."

"Curse. A lifetime of torment is not a gift."

"To-may-to to-mah-to." He shifted in his seat his eyes shifting away from our teasing to something hard. "I need you to do something for me. Use you ability to find out if any other vampires have been killed or are being hidden by any humans in this area. Watch for any sudden unusual changes in people. They willl be like drug addicts itching for a fix or unusually calm and serene , spiritual almost."

"That's it?"

"The other side effects are much more noticeable. Psychotic breaks, an unstoppable rage."

"Effect from what?"

"Vampire blood."

"Eww. That's...ew."

"And usually fatal for the vampire. I must leave dawn is approaching." Quick as a flash he was out of his chair and out my window. He did have the courtesy to close it behind him.

Flopping back on the bed I pulled the pillow over my head. I pushed it down hard onto my face hoping I hadn't just been told to poke around in people's heads and put up no argument. Sighing I put my pillow to rights and closed my eyes hoping to get a few hours sleep before my alarm went off.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Whilst I'm being nice and giving another chapter today this is not a nice chapter. There is some violence in it and although not overtly graphic I thought it best to give you a heads up. This is the chapter where things begin to change.

I may write the words but I don't own the people.

For two weeks I kept my shields down at work and spent most of time trying to separate what came out of people's heads and what came out of their mouths. I had a constant low grade headache that by the end of each night was sharp and stabbing making my eyes ache and behind my ears burn.

Most of the time if I wasn't looking at the person and seeing their lips move I ignored it. People got more frustrated with me than usual and my tips suffered but by the end of the first week I had found one vampire who was renting the basement of the small bookstore in town. The gentleman who owned it didn't care he was a vampire because he was paying what he could make in a month for each night he got to stay there, cash.

The other was a young vampire, only a few years old. I didn't know where she was hiding but she had befriended dear sweet Hoyt who had shot her twice when she revealed what she was. He got a bite on his arm and she got away. Eric found her when I told him. Apparently she had been left alone when her maker had met the true death fighting a mob allowing her to escape. She was lost, heartbroken and lonely with next to no survival skills.

Eric told me it was something an honourable maker, a true maker would have done for his child regardless of their age. The maker knew she wouldn't have survived the fight and had likely hoped to manage to escape himself to find her afterwards. I found it beautiful. Like a family. He had just smirked at me as he so loved to do.

Eric came every night at two in the morning like clockwork. He would wait for me in my room in the chair by the corner. I didn't always have anything for him but sometimes he had something for me. Sometimes a lead he wanted chasing during daylight or just something suspect he had gotten word of. His phone would vibrate every now and then. Sometime good new (vampire found or called in) sometimes bad (dead vampire, another reported missing, a destroyed nest).

He would just talk to me too. He told me of the bar he had hoped to open with Pam after the reveal. It had gone up in flames the night of the reveal when someone leaked what it really was. He told me of the first and only time he had let his associate return his beloved Corvette to a rendez vous point and it had been fire bombed. The associate was human and though he managed to get out of the car before it exploded he died in hospital from a combination of burns and a beating. I'd cringed as I knew the story from Jason and because he seemed more upset about the car than the associate.

He told me of his travels and I told him what it was like to never leave a small town like Bon Temps. I'd dream of it as a child but that's all they were dreams. When he asked where I had wanted to go I had to admit that I had never thought that far into it. There was never any use in breaking my heart over something that would not and could not ever be.

I asked him about his glamour, how it worked how it felt. When I asked him to do it to me so I could see how it felt, see if my telepathy let me remember he admitted he had already tried. He figured my telepathy meant that it wouldn't grip onto my mind it just slipped off without my knowing.

Most of the time thought we talked about the weird things going on in the Parish.

I hadn't witnessed it first hand but several teens from the local high school had been arrested for a variety of things. Between Andy and Bud's minds I had found out three had started fights that had hurt seven people and managed to get themselves put into the psychiatric ward of the Shreveport hospital. Two were found walking through the streets completely naked quoting the bible to any who would listen. The other five were involved in a wild orgy of sorts.

Noises from the woods is common place around here but when the noises were still being heard fifteen hours later Bud and Andy were called in. The scene they had come across, which Eric had asked me to describe in such painful detail I was still blushing ten minutes later, was the five teenagers in a variety of sexual positions with one another. After watching the scene for almost fifteen minutes (which didn't make the report) they tried to break it up but got pulled into it instead. They both got their rocks off (Andy's mind get playing over bouncing breasts over and over) they'd stepped away to their cars and upon returning tranquilized them all. That's when they vampire was discovered.

They killed her and the whole incident was blamed on her.

Eric guessed she had been supplying them not telling them what they were injesting. She got out of it what she needed, blood, sex and money. He didn't agree with the sharing of her blood but thought the rest sounded like fun. He even waggled his eyebrows around. I didn't think any of it sounded fun but I did enjoy the look of boyish glee on his face.

As careful as I was sometimes I slipped up at work. Most of the time it was ignored, shrugged off but as my headaches got worse my slips became more frequent. It was embarrassing and usually awkward but the two new fellas who had joined Rene and his gang were paying me an awful lot of attention some nights.

I worked a closing shift on the second Thursday night. It was my last night before a well earned long weekend. The usual suspects had been in cheering and clapping along with the T.V. as some reverend or other was preaching about devils and Vampires. I had wondered when we had become that kind of bar. It was a relatively uneventful shift. I like those shifts more than ever now. People were thinking about work, what groceries they needed, what they would do this weekend if only there was little more money in the bank. The usual really. Jason was chasing skirt, Hoyt picking up his leftovers. The rest of the road crew was there and so were the gruesome twosome. That's what I called them in my head. The day before I had discovered Rene wasn't the only one who had enjoyed Dawn and Maudette after their passing. I'd given them a wide berth ever since.

Everyone dwindled off home and I sat around waiting for Jane Bodehouse's son to pick her up long after all my final tasks were done. Her son had tapped on the door in what was now a well practiced scenario. When she was loaded up in his car I offered a sad smile and a wave to him before heading back inside locking doors as I went. Sam walked me to my car like he did now for whoever worked 'til closing Lafayette included. I was soon on my way sleepy and achy watching Sam in my rear view mirror before I was too far away to make him out.

It was a quarter after two when I pulled up in front of the house. I don't know why I stopped there. Normally I park by the side of the house near the back porch. I'd parked in front though every night for the the last three shifts even when I was home before eight. Pushing open my door I clambered out trying to keep my eyes open. I was so tired and my head hurt so much. I used my car to prop myself up. Shifting through the keys on my ring I located the front door key before stumbling towards the house.

I lifted my foot for the first step but fell backwards instead. I landed on my butt with an umph barely catching the gruesome twosome approaching me before something struck the side of my head. The force twisted me around and I had to slam my hands down to stop my face from landing in the gravel. The stones bit into my palms as I slid forward before coming to a stop.

The first kick went to my stomach pushing the air of of me. I curled up instinctively only to receive one in my back making it arch as the pain struck sharp. I curled up tighter in a ball, hands over my head as the kicks came and came, boots stomping on my legs and feet, fists hitting my head and fingers pulling on my hair. I screamed and shouted but it just continued. Sharp pain after crack followed by more pain. I wasn't screaming anymore. I could barely breathe from the pain. The kicks slowed each one rocking my body from side to side.

I could hear what they wanted now. What they were looking forward to doing.

A belt buckle rattled.

There was an almighty roar followed by a series of snaps and crunches and then a loud echoing gunshot. Everything was silent except for a whimpering noise that I thought sounded like a wounded animal. It was me.

Someone was moving me,rolling me to my back. I screamed around the blood filling my mouth. It hurt so much. I was moving, lifting, the sharp ground becoming cool air. There was my Gran's voice but she wasn't talking to me she was talking to someone else. Hoping Gran wasn't talking to one of the men who beat me I picked at the thoughts of one I could get. It was the same mind I had heard in the cemetery, it was the same mind that had violated Dawn and Maudette. Rene.

Eric!

They were after vampires. They'd found him. I tried to move, to open my eyes and find him but everything hurt and I was being held and that made me panic. I thought they had me, I thought they were going to hurt me like they hurt Dawn and Maudette only I'd be alive. I'd feel it all and I didn't want that. I couldn't bear that.

I was sobbing, big fat tears stinging my face as they tried to escape. The arms never left me. If anything they held me tighter. I was pulled into a hard chest. There was a steady vibration with a soft sound. A hum I thought. It was soothing and despite the pain in my back I tried to get closer to it.

I either passed out from the pain or fell asleep but I woke in my bed. One of my eyes wouldn't open and when I reached up to touch it my arm and back screamed in pain. I whimpered gritting my teeth together as my brain worked around the pain.

Eric.

I looked at his chair and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw him there his typical black wife beater and dark jeans. His boots were missing.

"They came for you," I whispered, the words croaking out of my throat. It burnt and swallowing the odd tasting blood in my mouth didn't help.

"No, they came for you," His face was grim. I'd never seen him look grim before.

"I don't understand."

"Rumour and hearsay mixed with your stranger than usual behaviour. They picked you because you were different enough."

"And I'm a woman." His face darkened, a deep red anger burning in his eyes filling the room in a prickly heat. I knew it wasn't meant for me but it was still terrifying.

"Yes, you are. Did you not hear them?" He tapped his temple for emphasis but I knew what he referring to. I tried to shake my head no but stopped when a harsh pain raced through my head and neck.

"I didn't think I would need to. I thought I was safe here."

"No one is ever safe." The angry prickles were receding now as his face locked down.

"How bad is it?"

"It is mainly bruises over your back and legs. You have several broken ribs and a broken finger as well as a concussion. There are many cuts throughout your body particularly around your face." He said it all like he was reading a grocery list. Empty, void, like each one of these things wasn't making my body scream in agony.

"Are they going to come back?" I was praying he would say no.

"No. They have made several gators very happy."

"You killed them?"

"I killed two of them. Your Gran killed the third. She has good aim." Gran killed someone. My Gran. My sweet Gran killed someone to save me.

"Her Momma taught her," at seeing his eyebrow twitch I smiled or at least tried to. It hurt. "She taught me too," He chuckled. "I'm not as good as her but I can hold my own."

"Good," he replied his smirk fading from his face as he looked me over. I must be quite the sight.

"This is my fault."

"You didn't do it." I shifted trying to alleviate the pain in my shoulder. It was a mistake. The pain made me gasp which hurt my chest making me splutter through it as I waited for the pain to subside back again.

"I had you listening."

"I didn't have to. As much as I don't like it this was going to happen sooner or later." That grim look was back again.

"I must go," he said as he rose up, his huge presence filling up my room. He leaned over catching my good eye. "I wish I could glamour this all away for you." I closed my eye as his hand combed through my hair gently. Something square was placed in my hand and then he was gone the window as always closed behind him.

With my good eye I looked at the little red device in my hand. A phone. I pressed a button and the screen came to life. I pressed the contacts button and followed the names down - Eric, Gran, Home, Merlottes, Pam. I exited the list slowly pulling my arm into my body. He had saved my life and given me a phone. Three men came to kill me and now were dead. I wasn't sure what to think so I decided not to. It could wait 'til I didn't hurt so much.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: So this chapter has a little bit of naughty to it but it serves as a good distraction I think from all the bad stuff that has happened.

The room was bright when I woke, very bright. It hurt my eyes even before I opened them. When I did, groaning when I tried to squint with a swollen eye, I was met by my Gran's worried smile. She was sat in the chair in the corner knitting in hand. Her fingers continued on even though she was looking at me. I envied that. I try to smile back but my face won't cooperate.

Gran was up beside me water and pills in hand before I noticed she had stood up. She was very spry for a woman her age. I wouldn't have minded of bit of that right now.

Reaching for the glass something slipped to the floor with a clunk.

"Oh I've got one of those now too," she said pressing the pills into my hand before reaching to the floor. When she stood up she had the phone Eric had given me in her hand. The girlish grin on her face knocked about ten years off her.

"Mr Northman insisted we each have one and that we should use them day or night if there is any danger. Now you take those and I'll go make some tea then I'll help you into the shower. You've got dirt and blood all over you."

"Gran," my voice cracked as I spoke, my throat burning. "What are we going to do?" Tears were stinging my good eye but I wouldn't let them fall. I couldn't.

"Mr Northman will be back this evening. We were very lucky he was around last night. I doubt Bud or Andy would have done anything about it if we had called them up," she said straightening the blankets at the bottom of my bed.

"But those men? Rene?" She stopped at my question her eyes harder than I've ever seen them.

"Would have killed you. They may have come after me too. Now it's not very Christian, Sookie but I'm glad we are still here."

"What if they told someone where they were going?"

"That's why Mr Northman stayed for so long. I might not like the way he killed those men but I must say I'm glad he's on our side. He's very fast you know. All those men were gone and he had cleaned up all the mess on the lawn himself in just less than an hour. Imagine all the things we could do with ourselves if we were that fast."

I chuckled though it sounded more like a huff of air. Trust Gran to shift her thoughts that way. After stiffening when my bruises and cracked ribs protested my enjoyment Gran frowned at me before bustling off out the door, muttering something about stools.

The pills were still in my hand. Two small white pills that I didn't recognise. If Gran gave them to me they must be safe but I had a suspicion they were what Lafaytette gave Gran when she hurt her back and hip slipping on the stairs. I took them figuring whatever relief they provided would be appreciated. I didn't feel as bad as I did when I first woke in bed last night but it was still bad.

By the time I had drunk my tea I had a floaty, faraway feeling that made my limbs light and heavy at the same. It was an amazing feeling even when I became obsessed by my fingers.

I had to lean on Gran rather heavily when we walked to the shower. The way she held my arm made me feel like an old woman. I kept my head down concentrating on my feet trying not to feel defeated. She had switched on the shower before coming for me and she'd turned the temperature down a bit for me too. There was still some pain as I shifted but it wasn't as sharp as my small movements had made it before and it was nothing compared to last night.

The view of my face when I caught sight of it in the mirror actually scared me. My left eye was sealed shut the skin around it so overwhelmingly swollen it looked fit to burst, the skin coloured a solid black. There were grazes on my cheek and forehead and dried blood around my nose .My hair was stained with blood, the perky blonde colour now a rusty red over mud tainted grey brown. There were even a few leaves.

My shorts were easy to loosen and drop, my underwear too but there was no way I could get my Merlottes tshirt off. Gran appeared with her scissors and cut it from neck to navel. The pieces were cut away and gently pulled down my arms. My bra was easily done away with. With my bra gone I could get into the spray and make myself feel more human again but I had to see. Some part of me wanted to see what they had managed to do.

I was a road map of violence. The phrase beaten black and blue was never more true. There were patches of red surrounding black and blue patches. My ribs and stomach were almost one solid bruise stretching around to my back where it then went down, down down across my butt and down my legs. The colour was sporadic on my back but across my spine just above my tail bone there was a bruise in the perfect shape of a boot, a workman's boot. I held in the sobs that filled my throat. I refused to cry. They may have beaten me but they didn't break me. I survived. I would survive. I had to survive.

"It's fine if the dressing gets wet. We cleaned best we could before we set the finger but it would be best if it was cleaned again." Gran's slightly cheery voice broke through my thoughts.

A part of my brain was telling me to cover up, to run and hide behind the shower curtain. Not because of the damage but because I was naked in front of Gran. Normally Gran would turn her eye or leave the room for me to have my privacy. Today all she did was take my arm avoiding all the bruised skin as best as she could and helped me climb into the tub and get under the water. Gran just chuckled reminding me she'd seen it all before every time she looked in the mirror and that she had changed and dressed me for years. I blushed.

I couldn't wash my hair so Gran had me sit on an old stool from the cupboard under the stairs and she did it for me. It was fine til the shampoo stung the back of my head. The blow to my head must have broken the skin. Gran tried to be gentle but every time the hair on the back of my head moved it stung like crazy. The rust coloured water that was running for the plughole wasn't helping either.

Getting out was easier than getting in. The heat from the water had loosened my muscles, softening my movements. Everything still hurt like crazy only not as much as I thought it should. Maybe those pills of Lafayette were working better than I thought.

I still wasn't too steady but once I pulled on a pair of shorts and a button up shirt I felt marginally better. Gran thankfully did my hair for me. I may have felt better but my ribs weren't interested in that kind of activity. They didn't really like any kind of activity including breathing. She smiled and reminisced about when she did it for me as a child. Only Gran had known how to do my hair how I liked.

I was ushered into bed, fed an alarming amount of food given my condition and promptly passed out. When I woke again it was dark out and I had my usual nightly visitor. I didn't move. I wasn't sure I could without hurting myself but I could see him with both eyes now, the swelling having gotten better. Much better.

"I'm going to offer you something. It will heal you completely. When you are in trouble again I will be able to find you because of it. It will allow me to know if you are being truthful with me even though I doubt you have been anything but. What do you say?"

"What is it?"

"My blood."

"But you said..."

"When given from the source it is very different . I do not do this lightly."

"Then why?"

"You are useful. Right now you are of no use, my blood will fix that."

"That's it?"

"I find Miss Stackhouse that I have become very fond of you. I do not like to see what those savages have done to you."

He was fond of me. I know we had built some sort of friend style relationship recently, a genuine rapport building up between us. I had been looking forward to his visits. Not only was he silent allowing my head the rest I so desperately needed but I felt comfortable with him. That said a lot. I was rarely fully comfortable around my friends let alone a very tall, very handsome man in my bedroom. He was the only one who wasn't gay or a family member who had been in my room.

"OK."

Eric was knelt by my bedside eyes searching my eyes faster than I could comprehend. He moved so fast he was barely a blur. Satisfied with what he saw he bit into his wrist, the crunch of the breaking skin making me cringe. His bleeding wrist was over my mouth a drop landing on my bottom lip. Without thinking I licked the drop. The taste registered as one I knew but the explosion on my tongue overrode everything. It was amazing and I wanted more. When he commanded me to drink I didn't hesitate. After the first swallow I gripped his arm holding it to me tighter. My body felt alive, tingles running through me like tiny lightening bolts. I was moaning around his skin. I wanted him closer. My aches and pains had faded into a euphoric ache, a desperation for him to just touch me. His wrist disappeared from my mouth but before I could protest his mouth was on mine.

His mouth was cold against my overheated one, his tongue battling mine. His hand threaded its way through my hair holding me to him as he devoured me, as I devoured him right back. My fingers were in his hair scratching at his scalp as I licked and sucked at his fangs. The growl that filled his chest vibrated into me making me moan and twitch in pleasure.

I tugged at his shoulders wanting to feel him, all of him, on me, around me, in me. He complied stretching himself out over me, his weight resting on his elbows on either side of me. His lips trailed down my cheek to behind my ear where he sucked before heading down my throat. The pleasure was instant, lighting up beneath his skilled mouth. His hips were moving against mine, the friction even through fabric hitching up my body temperature. I shifted my legs wrapping them around his hips. As my hips began rocking with his rhythm his fingers were undoing the buttons on my shirt his mouth kissing and licking each inch of exposed skin. He soon had one hand on a breast, his mouth on the either. Licking and nibbling and sucking with his mouth his fingers mimicking on the other side I found myself becoming frantic. My hands were clawing up his back and across his scalp, his growls making me scratch harder. I had one hand down the back of his jeans holding his glorious self just so when he bit into my breast.

I was lost.

My body arched, a silent scream leaving my body. He was still moving still sucking at my breast making wave after wave of intense pleasure run through my body. His mouth left my breast suddenly, his lips back on mine sucking out the little breath I had as he froze above me. His eyes were locked on mine as the kissed slowed and his body shuddered. His hands slipped back into my hair the kiss ending as his forehead came to rest on my forehead. I watched his eyes slip from black to that glorious shade of blue.

I was sweating and panting and felt more alive than I think I ever had. There was a euphoric afterglow that we seemed to be sharing and I couldn't help the smile that covered my face.

"God, I feel amazing."

"You're welcome. Although my name is Eric."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I've been avoiding anything True Blood related since season 6 came on but ultimately failed and although I'm only halfway through there seems to be some story lines I don't care about and one that I actually do, not just because of the character but because of the actual meaty storyline he was given. It made me a little reluctant when it came to this story primarily because it has been a slightly less aggressive stance that was taken as opposed to the show where Eric was ready to march into battle. However the story must go on if we are to ever discover if my Eric and Sookie will get a happy every after.

Enjoy

I'd sent Eric downstairs whilst I freshened up. One look in the mirror and I was pulling my clothes off staring at my unmarked, blemish free skin. I'd been unsteady walking into the bathroom and I'd blamed my injuries but maybe it was just Eric. I hadn't been expecting what I saw in the mirror. My hair looked amazing and I felt like I could have taken those guys on myself. Well maybe one, with a bat.

I redressed in a cute sundress before heading downstairs with a spring in my step. I was happy and smiling and I jumped a foot in the air when I heard a glass shatter. Gran was stood in the kitchen doorway mouth agape as she stared at me. I smiled and she turned around and hugged Eric. I almost laughed at the shocked and uncomfortable look on his face. I head her murmuring something but I wouldn't let on that I had heard her thanking him. Gran pulled away as Eric's phone began to ring and he stepped into the living room to take it. I helped Gran clean up, aware of her eyes flicking to me as we worked. I didn't blame her. It took more effort than I'd care to admit to walk away from the mirror upstairs.

We joined Eric in the living room once he had finished his call.

"May I ask you something?" He quirked his eyebrow his posture remaining relaxed where he leaned against the fireplace. "Why are you still here? It's not that I'm not grateful for all you've done for me but with everything going how come you've not left? Gone somewhere safer?"

"Did you see the footage of a vampire by the name Sophie-Anne?"

"Yeah, she was in New Orleans right?"

"Yes. After that interview she and her four children were killed by a group of humans. She was a monarch in our hierarchy. Now she has met the true death temporary leadership of the state has fallen to me. It has been decided officially we will no longer remain in Louisiana. I've relieved all staff except one from their positions. He wishes to remain. "

"Most vampires have been located dead or alive and the remainder have gone into hiding. Those who are staying have informed me and I no longer have any obligation to them or them to me. The ones who wish to leave are having some difficulty. In Louisiana they are checking night flights, buses and trains as well as stopping cars.

"The safest direction to travel is north. Things have calmed there much faster thanks to the President. Down here things are escalating. We cannot even walk across the border without being tested by a bunch of fools," he growls before pacing two steps and turning back to us. "Vampire speed results in being shot repeatedly and then staked." He paces again before sitting in the chair.

"There will be a high number of vampires staying within a 30 mile radius of here. Could you listen in case any of them are in danger of detection?"

"Where will they be?"

"I cannot reveal locations. Some are known safe houses for all, others have their own and are willing to share. Several simply dig in the ground."

"Will you tell me why they were here?"

"They are leaving. A group each night for the next six nights. All who want to leave will. In seven nights you will be compensated and your work will be done."

"I'm not working for the next three nights. I can run errands though if you want see what I find but my showing at Merlottes when I'm not working would be mighty suspicious."

"That is fine. You may come across more people that way. Call the numbers in your phone if you find anything. Do not act. Call and come back here." His eyes bored into mine. I knew why he was saying what he was. I was in no hurry to have a repeat performance of the last twenty four hours. "I must go. There are plenty of preparations to make." He bowed his head to us ever so slightly before heading to the door his large stride eating up the distance quickly. His hand was on the doorknob when I got the chance to speak.

"What happens in seven nights?" Seeing the confusion in his eyes I continued. "You said my work would be done. What happens in seven nights?" I took a few steps towards him taking my time.

"I will be gone," he didn't turn his head as he answered, he only opened the door and walked out.

I was out the door following him in a flash stomping my feet as I went.

"You can't leave," I stated only mentally adding the me.

"I can and will." He paused at the bottom of the porch steps. I was almost looking him in in the eye now.

"Even after...?" I couldn't say it not out loud.

"Merely a reaction to my blood," and he began to turn away again. I was getting frustrated and when I'm frustrated I get angry.

"I don't believe that." I stamped my foot in frustration.

"Believe what ever you want Miss Stackhouse. I must be going." He was walking away from me now and I couldn't have it.

"Then why do it? Huh? You could have left me to heal by myself but you didn't. Why?" He paused mid step his body taut as he turned on his heel.

"I need your ability it is nothing more than that."

"I would have healed enough to go back to work in a few days and I could have listened for you. Hell I could have sat in the damn parking lot and done it all week." I was getting louder now and I knew Gran would hear.

"I find myself intrigued with you Miss Stackhouse and you said yourself that the headaches from listening as you put it were debilitating enough even when you were at full health. I could not put you through that." I began to deflate as he turned away once again my eyes filling with tears.

"Why?" He stopped his head turning to look over his shoulder. I didn't have it in me to shout, my tears robbing me of breath as I held them at bay. "Why do I intrigue you? I'm a dumb hick waitress from nowhere with a disability that has me branded as crazy throughout the Parish. Don't seem to be much interesting there." A tear slipped free sliding slowly down my cheek. Everything I said had been sitting within me for years, every word a truth I tried so hard to run from. It was everything I had never said out loud. I was the freak with the dwindling family and the dead end job and a empty future where I would just die alone.

His growl had me stepping back quickly, my back hitting the wall next to the door with a sharp thump. He followed me prowling like a cat, his long legs eating up the gap until he was with me. His body hunched over lowering his face to me, his eyes locked onto mine.

"You may be a waitress Miss Stackhouse but you are neither dumb nor a hick." He practically spat hick like the word tasted bad to him. His voice was low, almost a growl and it vibrated along my body. I was afraid and aroused and majorly confused.

"The fools in this town added up wouldn't be worth what you are without your ability. Your ability is a skill Miss Stackhouse but it doesn't take away from who you are. " and then he was gone. He just lept off the porch steps up into the air and was gone.

I ran down the steps onto the front yard looking up to see where he was. My whole body was trembling, my legs like jelly but I just managed to make out a shadow in the moonlight over the edge of the property before it vanished.

"He can fly," I whispered to no one letting out a slightly hysterical laugh as I looked out at the now empty night sky.

I walked back inside and joined Gran on the living room. She'd made tea and I was more than grateful. Hopefully it would help calm the jittery feeling inside me. I thanked Gran taking sips before placing the cup down back onto the try. My hands were shaking too much to keep it steady.

"Well, it's nice to see you getting along with a boy for once." I was about to point out that Eric was anything but a boy at his age but Gran winked at me, a smirk playing at the edges of her mouth that would have made Eric proud. I knew right then and there my face flooding a deep burning red of a blush. She heard us. She heard us because we were anything but quiet and she had been in the house the whole time.

I clutched a cushion to my lap burying my face in it hoping you really couldn't die of embarrassment.

"Oh Sookie. If I were thirty years younger," she muttered but I heard it loud and clear.

"Gran!" I shouted scandalised. She just laughed and went back to sipping her own tea. I soon joined her in the laughter. It seemed like we both needed it.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I want to say another big thank you to everyone who has read this story. I've answered all those I could who reviewed. It's wonderful to see people enjoying something I wrote. We aren't far from the end now. I'm going to be tweaking a few bits in future chapters but right now it is finished and just needs cleaning up.

The usual disclaimer of owning absolutely nothing but really wishing I could.

I drove Gran around so she could do all of her errands on Saturday. We did more things than we usually did and there were a few things that created a lot of questions.

First stop was the post office where Gran sent out a few letters mainly paying bills and such but there was a big brown envelope with an address in New Orleans that I didn't recognise. I didn't know the name but the address was a law firm. That confused me. We had always used the lawyer in town. I decided it was likely private and if I was going to ask I would have to do it at home.

The people lined up there weren't thinking about much except bills and whether letters would get to loved ones in time for birthdays and such. I did learn that dear sweet Mrs Jones who taught at the local high school had a vampire lover that she sent away up north to keep him safe. She was writing to him instead of emailing because that's how they first met. They had been pen pals for years. I found that awfully sweet and I began hoping that she could leave this bigoted town and go and be happy with him. When she caught me looking I offered her a small genuine smile. She smiled back clutching the letter to her chest as she moved forward with the line.

Next was the bank where Gran made a withdrawal instead of a deposit like she usually did. I didn't want to pry while we were in public so I slipped through the few minds that were loitering around.

There were a few worried about money as usual around here. A young girl was sat in the chair in the corner twirling her doll's hair wondering if her father really was in heaven when he had been hurting people and the security guard who wanted his shift to hurry up and end because he needed a stiff drink. The funny thing was the manager and the teller. They'd grown up here together and had gotten jobs here twenty five years ago together. They were also both madly in love with each other. Whether they knew the other loved them back or not it appeared the stigma of being gay in this small town was enough to keep them apart.

My heart broke for them. Not for the first and surely not for the last I cursed this town and it's closed minds.

Next stop was the library. This stop was for Gran and myself. I'd read through the books I had before even if I hadn't read them this time around. They needed to go back though. I put my books beside Gran's and was about to scurry off in search of the new book pile when Gran announced to Mrs Deuce that we were just returning books before we were fined. I stepped back to the counter my Crazy Sookie smile in place. The books were put through the ancient computer and then we were on our merry way calling out cheery goodbyes as we headed out to the car.

I said nothing.

Our next stop was the jewellers. It had become one of those buy gold places with the regular jewellery still being sold from the counters.

Gran went in with me trailing behind looking at the cases as we waited for the owner to come out of the back. Mr Jackson was a skinny looking man with a giant bald spot and messy comb over who always came across as snaky _before_ I dipped into his head.

When he questioned why we were there Gran pulled out an old wooden box from her bag. Inside there were a multitude of gold and silver pieces some with stones some without. His head lit up like a Christmas tree at some of the pieces. It quickly went away when Gran said she was only pawning the pieces. He made an offer but it was a joke. It was on his face and in his mind. I stood a few steps away so Gran could see me out of the corner of her eye as they bartered back and forth.

When he wasn't robbing us blind and he was a lot less happy we walked out with a wad of cash and a ticket stub that Mr Jackson was hoping we wouldn't be returning with in thirty days.

I couldn't believe what she had done. Those pieces were old belonging to my mother to Gran to Gran's mother and Gran's Gran and beyond. There was some from Grandpa's side too although they were rarer.

Her face was blank as she stared out the window clutching the clasp of her handbag with both hands. She'd told me stories of those pieces. Some that made me laugh and some that made me cry. Like the brooch Gran's great aunt was given by her husband for their wedding anniversary shortly before he had a fall from his horse and died. She had died only a few months later clutching the brooch to her chest.

We were halfway through the grocery list Gran has shoved into my hand at the door of the store when I saw how empty the list was. There was plenty there for our meals with leftovers but there were very few frills, very few extras and nothing to pad out the cupboards just in case. As hard as it was I kept my mouth shut an my head open.

There were a few thinking about the spawns of Satan and devils and the like but it all sounded regurgitated like they had read it somewhere.

In the dairy aisle there was a young woman with a baby and a little girl who was praying to God as she made her way down the aisle. She was praying for guidance and was asking for forgiveness for the town for all the horrid and hateful things that were happening. I was at the end of the aisle when I heard her began to plan. She was taking her kids and running. I couldn't fault her.

Gran helped me bag everything watching the cashier with concerned eyes. She did look a little pale under the heavy makeup she was wearing and her eyes were a little lifeless really. I dipped into her head and saw a young woman with long blond hair and fangs. Pam. From the flitting around the girl was doing I could gather there was some sort of sexual release between the two, mutual from what I could gather and then Pam had fed deeply from her thigh. The girl had enjoyed every second and the poor thing was afraid she would end up thrown out by her Daddy if he found out she was with her woman or dead when he discovered she was a vampire. I smiled at Gran hoping she would understand there was nothing to worry about. As money changed hands I sent out a prayer that this girl would get guidance and wouldn't have to face the lynch mob.

By the time we got home my head was near bursting with questions. We put the food away in silence and when I began to ask Gran disappeared upstairs into her room. I was going to follow but her door was softly closed behind her only the snick telling em what she had done.

I didn't know what to think. It was all too confusing. Gran would tell me if we were having money troubles that I didn't know about but then I couldn't think of anything that I wouldn't know about. The pawning of the jewellery didn't mesh with the withdrawal of the money from the bank. The small amount of food we bought was easily explained if we were having money troubles. The letter to the lawyer couldn't be explained at all no matter what angle I used.

Gran's mind was buzzing around upstairs. I longed to know what was happening but I couldn't in good conscience invade her mind to find out. She would tell me. I hoped she'd tell me. She would have to tell me.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N:I'm popping this one up earlier than I planned but it will give me a kick to crack on with getting the rest up and to all of you lovelies

She didn't tell me. I asked and I asked but she still gave me no answers. When she finally reached the end of her tether she put her hands to my cheeks and told me I would know why when it was time. It didn't really help but I had faith in her. I always had faith in her.

Sunday was church. I wasn't against going to church, I tried to go every Sunday when I wasn't working. We were in our Sunday clothes sitting in the way too hot church making the usual small talk when the service began. I had missed a few Sundays as had Gran for one reason or another so it was startling to hear all the words of hate that spilled out across the room. People were nodding away their heads full of here here and let them burn.

I was still listening to the voices when I caught sight of a room or maybe a basement. There was a dirt floor so it was likely a basement. I followed the thought as it lept to people, no vampires, four of them in what looked like the old church. I kept on it and found her feeding them. All of them. I cringed internally until I saw Eric's face. They were permitted a mouthful only and then she was sent on her way. She'd done it last night and the night before and was upset. After a few twists I found she was upset because she couldn't feed them anymore not for a while. She had to sit here and listen to this all because her momma was scared.

I mentally sighed happy at all the good folks I had found around here. I bowed my head as we began a prayer when the flash of gas canisters filled my head. There were matches and then the girl rubbing her wrist. Rubbing her bitten wrist. A flick of an image of the church door and then the girl walking in. I tried to keep my head down as I searched for who it was but it was gone before I could find it.

People were mingling now slowly filing out the door. I'd barely heard a word of the sermon but I was sure God would forgive me given the subject matter.

The slight breeze was heaven sent on my sticky skin and I paused to enjoy it. Gran did too before leading me over to Maxine Fortenberry and a few of the oldies who were part of Gran's many clubs. There was the usual after church small talk filling in between the catty gossip they so loved to share.

A tap at my shoulder had me spinning. Arlene stood there cheery and bright.

"Hey Arlene. How are the kids?" The smile was genuine for once today. Arlene turned and pointed out Coby and Lisa running around an old tree.

"Oh they're alright. Full of energy and drivin' me crazy but good. Not seen you here for a few weeks." She was eying me probably hoping for some sort of gossip.

"No I worked. We needed the money for a few things that needed fixing," I lied.

"Oh that explains it then. I got worried about you. I told Rene a good girl like you wouldn't miss it without good reason." My smile edged towards a little crazy when I saw Dawn and Maudette flash through her head.

"I like coming here." I didn't know what to say. I scrambled for something to say. "Is Rene here? I don't remember seeing him." How was I keeping cool I don't know. I might not know where he was but I certainly knew that he wasn't breathing while he was there.

"Oh that man. He went out with a few of his buddies the other night. He ain't come home yet so I'm guessing his drunk off his head some where hiding cos he knows he's in trouble. Oh heck those kids. I best get goin' Sook."

She pulled me into a hug before scampering off in her crazy heels bellowing at her kids to get out of the tree with their best clothes on while the rest of the congregation looked on. It seemed even vampires walking around couldn't stop people from judging each other.

The hug she gave me was long enough for me to see that she knew where the vampires were and they were going to burn them out at sunrise. I headed towards Gran my mind running over why they were waiting. The only conclusion I had was because it was Sunday. Who'd of thought.

As soon as we got home I called Eric and Pam from my new phone leaving them both messages about the church. I told them about the bunker my Great Uncle had built when he came back from the war. The man was a few sandwiches short of a picnic but that bunker was built to last.

I spent the rest of the day pacing around the house urging time to go faster. I'd never prayed for the sun to set so much. I usually prayed for more sun to lay out under. The sun was due to set at seven today so when my phone began to flash Eric's name at five fifty I panicked. I breathed in deep hoping he hadn't been caught and I hadn't been outed.

"Hello."

"Thank you for the tip Miss Stackhouse." Eric's smooth voice was like a balm on my frazzled nerves. "How did they find it?"

"The girl, the one who fed them. She was followed. I don't think she knew about it. She was mighty upset she wouldn't get the chance to feed them again."

"Some do find it to be quite the enjoyable experience," he hummed the vibration making me tingle. I knew just how enjoyable it could be. He chuckled and I knew he had felt me.

"I have sent messages to all the vampires in the area to be on guard. The few in the church will be leaving tonight in place of another group. I am grateful for the suggestion of the bunker on your property however. It may come in handy yet."

"What about the girl?" I asked nervous for her now her secret was out.

"What about her?" I wanted to scream at him.

"They will kill her for helping."

"What would you have me do?" He sighed. I'm sure it was a sigh.

"Help her get away maybe. If she stays around here that will be it. Does she know how to get in contact with you?" I was worried. As nice as the girl seemed she could still sell Eric out in order to save herself. She was young, very young.

"Only the number of a disposable phone and I call her not vice versa. I will have her collected as a precaution if it will make you happy. She can leave with the vampires tonight."

"Thankyou Eric." I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief.

"You said you knew one of the planners."

"Yes Arlene. I work with her. I've known her for years. She hugged me goodbye and I saw it all."

"Does the _friend _know of your ability?" I frowned at his question.

"I suppose she does yes in a way. She knows I sometimes say things without anyone saying anything and she sometimes jokes that her head must be funny with how much colour she uses on her head." I laughed at that remembering the funny face she pulled crossing her eyes and pouting out her lips like a fish.

"Could she have done the hug on purpose?" I frowned again at his question not sure why he was insinuating what he was.

"Arlene is my friend Eric. She wouldn't want me to get hurt."

"Are you sure?" I gulped. Was I? Arlene was involved with Rene and he was one of the worst in town. What if he poisoned her mind? Could she hate me? Would she put me her friend, the person who watched her kids for her time and time again in the same category as vampires?

"What should I do?" I asked my voice meeker than I ever thought it could be.

"Get your shotgun. Lock every window and door. Get your Gran and hold up upstairs. Don't answer the door, don't answer the phone. Keep this phone with you on silent. I will be with you as soon as I can."

"I will and Eric? Stay safe."

"I always have." The call ended with a beep and then it was gone. I ran through the house locking windows and doors, pulling closed curtains before heading into the kitchen. I grabbed snacks and drinks before heading upstairs. Gran's door was open and I saw her sitting in her chair knitting. I set the food on the bed before running for the guns grabbing the box of shells whilst I was running around.

Pulling the footstool to beside Gran I checked the shot guns were loaded before setting them aside.

"You going to tell me what all that flapping was?" She was calm. How could she be calm. After all my running around how could she sit there and just knit.

"I messed up Gran. I read Arlene when she hugged me and I told Eric what I saw and now he thinks she did it on purpose, that maybe they will come after me again."

"Us dear." I looked at her then the horror spreading through me. What had I done? "Now don't you fret. If they come they come. WE will show them what being a Stackhouse really means. If not then we will be having a very interesting picnic in my room." I followed her eyes to the bed. Bottles of juice and tea, a few small packs of crackers, two apples, two bananas and a handful of cookies and two scones sat on her bedspread. I snorted and then giggled at the absurd collection of food. Although my heart still fluttered in my chest I knew I could face this. Gran was right. We were the strong ones.

As the light faded and night approached Gran put aside her knitting and together we sat on the bed a shot gun each and nibbled on our snacks. It had taken me almost half an hour but I had managed to put my phone on silent just in case. My shields had been down the whole time. Gran had been humming some tune of other and thankfully no other mind had come anywhere near the house.

The hours passed and I began to relax. When my phone vibrated with an incoming call I practically flew off the bed. My heart was in my throat as I looked at Eric's name before answering.

"Is everything alright? You are suddenly afraid."

"We're good, we're good. It was just so quiet the phone startled me. Sorry." I had forgotten he could feel me. It was a little disconcerting.

"Are you a technophobe?" He was teasing me. I couldn't believe he was teasing me.

"No I am startled by an unexpected noise in a quiet room after hours of silence. " He chuckled at me and I tried to not to smile. I failed.

"Very well. The girl is gone. She went with the vampires in the group at first dark."

"Oh good. She's safe then."

"She won't be hurt by anyone here but there are no promises she is safe." I understood that I did I just couldn't swallow it right now. She wouldn't be killed by a bunch of drunken rednecks with a grudge.

"We found your friend Arlene. I was right, it was on purpose. She hasn't reported anything however as we caught her before she left for the meeting. We glamoured the information we needed and then glamoured us out. She believes you had no contact beyond a hello at the church. She doesn't believe you know anything. You were all bright smiles in the sunshine from a distance.

"Thank you Eric."

"This does not mean you are out of danger, Sookie. You must be careful." Even though knew he spoke the truth I was and would always be in danger I was thankful for the small relief.

"Will you be stopping by?" I was hopeful I would get to see him again. Soon. Hopefully soon.

"Not this evening. I have several thing to take care of. The hour would be very late and you need your rest if you are to be able to help."

"OK. Goodnight," I said and then he was gone. I knew he was right but it didn't stop part of me from missing him, longing for him. I took a deep breath letting the scents of Gran and home wash over me. This was my safe haven. I looked around the room, at all the photos lined up on the dresser. There were some missing. Perfume bottles were gone from the dressing table and Gran's shawl from the back of the chair. On the back of the door there was now only one dressing gown her best one now gone. All of Gran's favourites were gone.

I turned where I sat looking at my Gran as she nibbled on a cookie brushing the crumbs off her lap. I knew what she was doing. I understood now.

She was planning for our escape.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: So this took longer than I anticipated thanks to the Bank Holiday we had. I had to play family referee so my time on the laptop was cut dramatically short. There's this chapter and then roughly two more and we will be at the end of this fair tale.

I used a couple of people from the books mainly because I needed a fairy and I prefer the Fintan bit.

The usual disclaimer where I really wish I owned something but I don't :(

Monday started later than I would have liked. The sleep was good though. Most of the tension from the previous day was gone. I slipped on my dressing gown before heading downstairs following the smell of coffee.

As I poured a cup I let my brain wander. Gran was outside with Mr Dawson the town's mechanic. Gran was doing math in her head and Mr Dawson was just running over the specs of her car and quietly wondering how much he could make off it. Slipping out I tightened my robe before heading back upstairs to get dressed. Gran never mentioned there was anything wrong with her car.

When the sound of Gran's car going down the drive faded away I came down stairs to find her outside on the porch swing. Her face was turned up into the sky the sun shining on her closed eyes. Neither of us said anything. We both knew what was happening and why. We both knew what would happen if we didn't have this plan. I breathed in the smell of Gran's roses. They always fill the garden with such life.

The day was quickly running away so I headed inside. I had a bag to pack and laundry to do.

It was while I was hanging clothing out on the line that I heard them. Out in the tree line were two distinct streams of thoughts. From what I could gather they were hunting, looking for disturbed soil. I breathed a sigh of relief that they weren't there for me or Gran but I was a little pissed the guys were on our land. Once it was all hung I went inside to start more. I kept listening to make sure their thoughts never changed and that they never came too close to the house. I'd put one of the shotguns on the back porch out of sight but in easy access just in case. There was no way I was going to take any chances.

By the afternoon I had washed everything that needed to be done and had filled my largest tote bag with clothing and supplies. I kept it stored behind the coats downstairs along with Gran's. We'd only had a light lunch as my brother was coming over for dinner. That meant the full works that he always expected. I think Gran always did it so she knew he was eating something worthwhile that wasn't cooked at Merlottes or in a microwave.

I helped Gran with the preparations before I headed up into the attic in search of suitcases. I knew there were two leather ones that belonged to a distant relative once but got shoved up here when they passed. They were in good condition from what Gran remembered so I moved boxes around, sifting through over sized trunks and large cardboard boxes with scribble down the sides in the hope of finding them. I finally caught sight of one in the corner under a stack of boxes labelled Gran when the sound of tires on the gravel drive could be heard. It was my brother. His mind was unmistakable even if I hadn't grown up around it. What surprised me was the shift in thoughts from the other two. I heard my brother hollering. His head told me there was nothing to worry about and it was the same with the other two. I shifted the boxes to get at the case before stacking it all back. Pulling down one of the boxes labelled Gran I hid the case behind the first stack of boxes under the eaves before heading back down the shaky ladder.

By the time I made it downstairs with the box Jason was in the house. The water was running pretty fast through the old pipes so I guessed Gran had him washing up. He really could end up filthy working on the roads. I took the box to the living room putting it on the floor out of the way by the fireplace before heading in to see them both. I was just as filthy as Jason so when he stepped away from the sink I took his place turning the taps down to something more sedate.

"Hey sis I was just telling Gran about the guys in the woods."

"Oh?" I asked trying not to show my hand.

"Yeah they're checkin' round for vamps."

"In the day Jason? Isn't that a bit strange?"

"What d'you mean?" I could see his scrunched up face in his reflection in the window.

"Vampires come out at night," I said just a touch of sarcasm in my tone.

"Oh no sis," he chuckled. "They're looking for where vamps are buried. They do that. If they can't get inside or whatever they dig a hole and bury themselves." I knew that I just didn't know he knew. If he knew then everyone knew.

"Oh, OK," I replied drying my hands. Jason was thinking that maybe his new friends were right and I really was as dim as I looked. I was going to snap at him for thinking so little of me but I bit my tongue. It wouldn't do for Jason to get suspicious of anything.

"What you two ladies been up to today?"

"Just a little housework and cooking. Nothin' too excitin' " Gran said from the counter.

"Were you in the attic sis?"

"Yeah just sorting out stuff while I've got some time off. Why? You looking for something?"

"Nah just thought I heard that old ladder that's all. Find anything good?"

"Maybe. There were a few boxes labelled Gran."

"Oh they belonged to my Gran. I wondered where those were. I thought I had cleared them out or something." I smiled at Gran's enthusiasm. She seemed to excited about going through them. I almost wished it wasn't time to eat.

With loaded plates we sat at the table in companionable silence. It was strange thing for Jason not to want to say a million things so whilst following the men in the woods down towards the cemetery I listened to my brother. He was thinking about the nest he helped clear last night. He thought of the stacks of empty bottles of True Blood and the empty IV bags with hospital labels on them. He was thinking that maybe, just maybe everyone had been wrong and the vampires round here hadn't been up to no good. I sighed mentally thanking the lord or anyone else listening for that matter that he was starting to see sense.

Gran's pork and apple always went down a treat and the pie that followed was equally welcome. Jason had gone through half the pie before he declared himself full. I had to laugh at him. He was sitting in the chair looking like one more mouthful would make him explode. He even thought it wondering if it was possible. I laughed even harder when he started grumbling about the pie tasting too good to let it go to waste. I didn't think any kind of food went to waste with my brother around. Still chuckling I cleared the table and wrapped up the leftovers. Gran would have them go with Jason. That way she knew he would get another good meal that didn't come from a pizza box. How he wasn't three hundred pounds I'll never know.

When the sun set and Jason still hadn't left I got a little nervous. I didn't think Eric was going to come by but there was a chance. There was no way I wanted a member of the mob that had been after the vampires around a vampire who also happened to be in my house. Thought of Eric made my insides warm and my heart fuzzy. He was one heck of a vampire.

Thankfully Jason's phone rang braking my chain of thoughts before it went too far. He took the call on the porch and within minutes was inside saying goodbye before racing off. All I got from him was there was fight between humans and vamps somewhere in town.

I pushed out and around the property searching or anyone as I followed Jason down the drive. No one was here so I raced upstairs to get my phone. Eric answered on the first ring.

"There's a bunch of vampires fighting humans in town."

"I am aware Miss Stackhouse. I am on my way there now."

"How? I thought your car was set on fire?"

"I'm flying," oh yes he can do that. I saw him do that. There was a lengthy pause before I could find the words to speak.

"Are you going to fight?"

"If I must," He sounded much too happy about the prospect.

"Be careful," and then he hung up leaving me standing in my room looking out the window and praying. Praying my idiot brother didn't fight, praying Eric didn't get hurt.

Gran and I ended up in the living room with the box I brought down. I had one eye on the clock counting every minute that I didn't hear from Eric. I needed to know he was OK. Gran kept my attention on the box as though she knew why I was so distracted. Then again she probably did.

The box was barely half full and then a large portion of it was due to a hat box at the bottom. There was a length of ivory coloured lace that Gran said used to be used to tie a bow on her Gran's head when she was a child. She'd hated it but loved the song her mother would sing as she tied it. The hat ended up being an atrocious dark blue overly feathered creation that had us laughing hysterically as we modeled it for one another. That was of course the moment someone knocked on the door.

Once I figured out it was a vampire I had Gran stay out of sight. I walked to the door with a steady pace peering behind the little curtain only to be greeted by Eric's chest. Smiling in relief I opened the door and was ready to launch myself into his arms but stopped allowing myself to take in the sight of him. He was splattered with blood and other things and the smell was awful. I waved him in giving him a wide berth as I held the door.

"Pam is on her way," and sure enough she was. I picked her up heading from the woods slowing to human pace as she left the tree line. She didn't look happy.

"My shoes are destroyed," she grumbled instead of a greeting. Her shoes and all up her legs were covered in blood and mud and leaves. She looked very unkempt. It was very non Pam like. She came inside and after a quick scan I closed the door swiftly.

Gran was in the hallway, that ridiculous hat on her head clucking at the two of them to get cleaned up while we washed their clothes. Apparently they both found it hilarious or at the very least they thought the hat was.

They both complied. I didn't know if it was Gran or the prospect of not smelling like a swamp but they both zipped off. I followed collecting the dirty clothes they left in a trail behind them and leaving some of Jason's clothing behind and a pair of my pyjamas. They were silk and gift I had never worn. They were much too long in the leg and I didn't have the skill or the heart to change them in case I ruined them.

They both emerged smelling better but looking strange. The clothes clearly weren't their style. When they settled into seats with us they watched as we went through the odd kick knacks in the box. An old perfume bottle, a hand mirror without the mirror and a hair comb missing all its jewels.

"My Gran took each one out herself. Every time she said she would look in the mirror and promise that when the bad times were over she would buy them all back and give it to her daughter. She never did." Gran's face was so sad as she stared at the holes it was almost as if it was her plucking the gems out to put food on the table.

Next was a cream silk scarf that was so fine it was almost see through. At each end it was embroidered with beautiful tiny beads. Pam was almost straining in her seat to look at it when I passed it to Gran. I couldn't help but smile when Gran passed it to her. She held it almost reverently in her hands. Pam was definitely a different kind of vampire.

The last remaining thing was a stack of letters bound together in ribbon. Each one was still in it's envelope addressed very neatly in curled letters. I was tempted to open them to see if they're love letters for an epic romance between her and her future husband like in my books. Somehow it felt like an invasion of privacy even to me the mind reader. I passed them to Gran as I slowly put everything back piece by piece starting with the hat box.

"I'm surprised she kept these."

"Why?" I looked to the vampires. I was epically interested but they just looked blank.

"They aren't letters between her and my Grandfather. These are from the lover she took in her teens. It was all a secret and her husband never new about it. Would have been quite the scandal back then if word got out. He disappeared and then my Gran met my Grandfather. He turned up a few years later after she was married. He vanished again and never came back so she just carried on with life." She was rifling through the letters from back to front. While she shifted them around something slipped free. Pam caught it before it hit the floor glancing at it before handing it to Eric. He too gave it a glance before passing it to me. It was an old black and white photograph of a man and a woman stood side by side smiling for the camera. The man had dark hair and wore a well cared for suit. The woman looked just like Gran only with slightly more delicate cheekbones. I turned it over reading the name aloud. "Preston Pardloe." The name meant nothing to me both first and second and since most people had been around here for a few generations you always knew a name.

"His Grandson came to her funeral. He looked very out of place in his new suit but he said his grandfather had told him all about her and he wanted to pay his respects. With a quick hug to me and to Bartlett he left, just like that. It was very strange. " I didn't mean to pry but she likened the hug to the ones a man named Fintan gave her.

The beep of the washing machine had Gran scurrying off to move them to the dryer. I looked at the photograph.

"Not the Grandson?" I asked quietly looking at Eric.

"No," he answered softly.

"Not a vampire?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"No."

"Something else?"

"Yes."

"Gran knew one like him, Fintan." I saw the look that passed between Eric and Pam but couldn't ask anything as Gran came back in.

"So what was all the blood and mud about?"

"One of the groups we had sequestered in the area became shall we say restless. Word got out that the mob knew of all their hiding places. Most have now been moved to your bunker but a lot decided to take things into their own hands. Revenge is a strong motivator just as much as survival. A dozen vampires set upon several of your watch groups. A very bloody fight ensued. A hundred and fifty Bon Temps residents against seven vampires. At least a hundred of them are dead or injured."

"and the vampires?" Gran asked and I could see the surprise in their eyes.

"All but two met their true death. It took myself, Pam and another who is loyal to me to pull them free."

"I'm sorry. Did you know them well?" Gran surprised them again with her Southern manners.

"I knew of them. Most of them had been in the area for at least ten years but I didn't know them well."

"Gran, Jason." I got up ready to race to the phone but Eric caught me before I took my first step.

"He is well. A little bruised but none the worse for wear. He was moving the wounded away as everyone else fought. He has remained on their side I see."

"He's conflicted but I know him. He'll come through in the end." I hoped.

"Let's hope it is soon. The army will most likely head this way when word gets outs."

"The other vampires?" Gran asked as I settled back down again.

"A man who owes me will be transporting them come sun rise. They will be out of the state before mid morning. There is some risk in rushing but the risk of staying is higher." I was going to ask how they would be travelling given the sun would be up but I thought better of it. If I don't know it can't hurt me and it can't hurt them.

"What about you?"

"There is one thing left for me to do before we go but we too will be leaving earlier than planned." It hurt to hear of him leaving. We barely even know each other but I know I'll always think of the chair in my room as his chair. Not wanting to focus on them not being around I tried to think about something else.

"What will the army do here?"

"Checkpoints on major roads, presence in church and Merlottes maybe patrol groups around neighbourhoods," Pam supplied whilst examining her nails. I sat on the arm of the sofa facing the two vampires.

"There won't be anyone out here though will there?" They didn't need to answer me I could see it in their eyes.

"They will stay within the heaviest populated areas." I laughed. It was hysterical but heavily populated and Bon Temps were rarely put together. I was doubled over head on my knees balancing precariously on the arm of the sofa. I could feel everyone staring at me. The laughs were starting to change into sobs in my chest so I pulled in a deep breath and swallowed it all back. It hurt to hold it but I sat up releasing it slowly.

"Sorry. Bon Temps isn't exactly heavily populated." I couldn't fall apart. I wouldn't allow myself to fall apart. Not yet.

"So long as you use your ability and keep a loaded weapon around you should be fine. I can arrange for my associate to return and watch the house for you for a short time."

"How will one man be able to help us if the town comes after us?" There's that us again. It should just be me. Gran shouldn't be part of this.

"Because he's not just a man," I supplied knowing it was likely a two natured that Eric was sending.

"You are correct. He owes me a debt. He could be here by noon tomorrow." I nod. He can keep Gran safe if it comes down to it. I'll make sure he knows it as soon as he arrives. Gran took that piece of information extraordinarily well but I guessed maybe nothing would be surprising anymore.

Gran had sauntered off to bed long before the dryer finished. I felt guilty knowing all the stress over money and trying to plan to flee was likely sucking all of her energy out of her.

I'd been pushing my mind out as far as I comfortably could most of the night occasionally picking up a void. They worked a similar path every time and it was easy to guess given the direction that they were guarding the perimeter around my Great Uncle's bunker.

I'd asked a few questions of the safety of Gran and myself with the vampires so close by. I didn't want a hungry vampire to come knocking thinking we were a midnight snack. Pam found this hilarious. Eric not so much. I was assured of our safety but told not to answer the door just in case. The rules still applied but with Gran susceptible to Glamour I was worried. Eric gave me the details of the man, the Were that was coming to help us.

I stood at the door watching them disappear into the darkness in their freshly laundered clothes. I hoped this wouldn't be the last time that I would see them but I had a feeling with the lingering kiss Eric had left on my cheek that it would be.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: So this is almost the last chapter and it turned out a lot longer then I anticipated. I was going to split it but when I tried it made a slightly longer than a usual chapter and a very very short one so I decided to keep them together.

In season 6 we see Sookie walking to work and I was always under the impression that they lived a ways out from most of the town so I used a little bit of artistic license with that making her slightly further away than expected. It wouldn't be quite a dramatic if she was only a twenty minute sprint away.

Tuesday started earlier than I would have liked. I'd gotten around five hours of sleep and was woken before my alarm thanks to some very peculiar dreams with the headache of a lifetime. I showered and dressed in my uniform before heading downstairs. Gran was already baking up a storm. There were several pie crusts cooling around the room. She was putting a cake in the oven as I filled a cup with coffee. After drinking it all down I had enough time to get the case from the loft and into Gran's room before dashing out the door apple in hand. I kissed Gran on the cheek and called out a goodbye when she came outside wiping her hands on her apron as her worried eyes watched me. She did wave me off though fanning herself against the early morning heat. It looked to be an unbearable day.

I wasn't sure what to expect driving into town and up towards the bar. People were up and about as always. There were more children around than I thought there should be for a weekday but I wondered if the school had been shut for the day because of the fight the night before.

The bar was still standing when I finally pulled into a space and looked to have only just opened even though it was a little after ten. It should have opened at nine but I wasn't going to say anything. When I made my way into the bar Terry was in the kitchen looking twitchy or at least more than usual and Holly was in the main bar putting out condiments on each of the tables. Only Jane was in the bar and it looked like she hadn't started for the day just yet.

Sam wasn't behind the bar. No one was.

I helped Holly set up and then we waited. By two o clock Jane was still our only customer and now she was on her third drink she was beginning to get her slur back

Terry joined us at three having turned off the heat in the kitchen. No one knew where Sam was, no one knew where our customers were. I wondered if maybe the army had arrived like they were supposed to and sent everyone home.

I'd cleaned, polished and organized everything in the bar and was bored. I had even gone around and done a stock take for Sam leaving my list on his desk for when he decided to come around. Who knew when that was going to be. In desperation Holly turned on the TV. The news was on. After the army came in most Southern states had put up a fight, kicked up a fuss about there rights and then settled on down. Even Texas calmed down. There was one church where a couple of hundred of them locked themselves inside threatening mass suicide if vampires didn't end themselves. I didn't really see them caring all that much. They were still waiting outside the church for something to happen.

We were the only state still fighting. New Orleans had calmed, the locals finding the truth in some of the old tales and stories a great way to make some money. Trust greed to overshadow hate. Everywhere else though there was still lots of fighting. People were going missing, houses and businesses were being burnt to the ground. The vampires weren't taking this lying down either fighting back whenever they got the chance.

The army were set to arrive in Shreveport at sun down. A reporter was stood near the Shreveport Police Station saying there would be a meeting between official and a vampire liaison before the patrols would be sent out to neighbouring towns.

That was the last thing Eric had left to do. I wondered if he was going to let them know there were still vampires in the area or if he was telling them he was leaving. He would most likely have lists of missing and dead to put in their little statistics, maybe names of humans responsible for the attacks.

The sound of vehicles had us all looking to the doors. I caught the image of me and the hate attached to it just before the first person came through the door. It was Arlene.

I got up rounding the bar as though I was readying for drink orders. Really I was heading for the bat Sam kept behind there. Holly was on her feet laughing and smiling with Arlene as more and more people filled the bar. She was getting nervous with all the people just stood around staring and I didn't blame her. They were making me twitch. Terry had backed up putting his back to the wall at the end of the bar. He was jumpy, eyes darting around but his mind was working out the best offense and defense and how to get the civilians to safety. I wasn't sure whether that was good or bad. He knew who to take out first in order to get out the back door alive. Only I knew that there were a dozen more waiting outside watching the exits.

_Dead or alive._

My brain stuttered. They weren't here just for me, they were here for all three of us. I looked at Holly. She was into New Age stuff but she wasn't different. She was a single mum with two boys at home that gave her hell but she wasn't weird. Terry was a solider, a marine, with PTSD and while he would disappear into the woods from time to time when things got bad for him or he just stopped taking his medicine he was just like everyone else.

My hand clasped around the widest part of the bat as Holly's fake nervous laugh echoed through the other wise silent bar. Could I do this? Could I hurt the people I grew up with? The people who lived in my town? Would it be better if I just went along willingly? Would they do to me what they did to Dawn? To Maudette? Would they try what Rene failed to do the other night? Should I let these people who belittled me all my life kill me? Should I always be crazy Sookie because they wanted me that way?

A pinch in my neck made me freeze.

"Don't move Miss Sookie. I don't want to have to hurt you." How Mike Spencer got around the bar and beside me without me knowing I don't know but the knife biting my skin let me know he meant business.

I let my hand slip free of the bat, slowly lifting my hands in surrender as I straightened up. A scream jerked my head and I felt the knife bite into my skin. Inside I was screaming. I didn't want to die. I didn't want anyone to die. Someone begging over rode my inner turmoil. Holly was crying and begging, a large hunter's knife at her throat. Arlene was stood there a demented smile on her face as she held the knife to her co-worker, her friend.

I didn't know what to do. If I moved anymore the blade would cut into me more.

A gunshot from outside made me jump and I felt Mike's blade cut clean through my skin. The tickle of the blood grew as the cut widened. Mike's 'Oh Shit' was followed by a bunch of napkins replacing the knife. The pressure from Mike's shaky hands pressing on the napkins hurt more than the knife did.

Lafayette, Merlottes' cook, came stumbling through the door his weight held up by a man I didn't know. The man lowered Lafayette to a booth before ripping open his jeans. Even from half the bar away I could make out the sluggishly bleeding hole in Lafayette's thigh. The man muttered something in what I thought was Spanish before jumping up. A gun was thrust in his face making him stumble back hands up in surrender, his eyes wide but calm.

"I need the first aid kit or he's gonna bleed out."

"Don' really matter now does it freak," the man answered and I watched the blood drain from his face.

I wasn't feeling so hot so I tried to sit down. My tiny movement had me staring down a shot gun barrel.

"Don't move sugar or I'll blow your head off." I gulped and hissed when it hurt. My fingers were sticky from the blood that had soaked through the napkins and I was sure it was running into the neck of my shirt.

"She needs to sit. She's losing blood too fast. If she sits she will stay conscious," I could have hissed at the man and hugged him at the same time. He drew attention to me when I really didn't want it but I did get to sit down even if I was manhandled and dragged. I ended up in the same booth as Lafayette but on the other side and up close I could see he wasn't doing so good.

When the man moved over to me from Lafayette's side I flinched away wary of his intentions.

_He's good Sook. New beau, Jesus, nurse._

I looked to Lafayette nodding my head slightly as I relaxed letting him near me. He was careful as he approached me both hands always in my sight. He was good. He peeled away the napkins from my skin. They stuck here and there pulling at my skin but I held in my pain. When he touched my skin to look around the wound I had a flash in my head. His face and head had changed. I blinked, then blinked again and again trying to push away the new image but it stayed.

_It's just a part of me. Just like the Fae is part of you._

I was frozen. I couldn't believe the horned green faced demon was a part of him. He said I was Fae but I had no clue what that meant. Was part of me like that?

"Its still bleeding but it's slowed down now." _It shouldn't have healed that fast. I would have bled longer than this. _I wasn't sure what he meant until I remembered the thousand year old bloode infusion I'd had a few nights back.

Our medical interlude was interrupted when Holly and Terry plus two others I'm sure came from Hot Shot were shoved into the booth behind us.

"Listen up folks. Today is the end of days for y'all. Say your prayers 'cos you are going to meet your maker the devil." I look at what used to be my friend Arlene. She's stood there in the middle of the crowded bar gun in one hand, hunting knife in the other looking more demented and crazed then I've ever seen anybody.

"And you," she's pointing the knife at me now. "I don't know what you did to my Rene but he went out to kill you and have some fun and he never come home!" I know what happened to him and I know what kind of fun he was looking to have. So does she.

"You mean fun like what he did to Dawn and Maudette once they were dead?" How my voice stayed so calm I don't know. MAybe the vampire blood was good for something other than healing.

"They asked for it!" she screamed back at me.

"How does a dead woman ask to be raped Arlene?" I ask rising to my feet. Jesus steps away slinking over to Lafayette's side. I don't blame him. No man wants to be between two women fighting no matter what they say.

"How do you know he did that?"

"You know as well as I do what drunk people talk about when they don't think there are ears around."

"No, no you used that freak head of yours din' ya?" The knife waving is back and I watch as two men take a step back.

"No Arlene. Did you know he killed his sister? She was hiding a vampire so he killed and raped her too. That's the kind of man you want by your side? That's the kind of man you want around your kids Arlene? "

"You should be dead. Why aren't you?" She screams again her face flushed with anger. I can feel the anger myself as I recall what they did to me.

"Do I look like I got in a fight with a guy Rene's size?" I ask knowing with the shorts and short sleeve t shirt nothing from a struggle could be hidden.

"She's right, she don'," says a man to my left shotgun resting on his shoulder.

"Then where is he?" Arlene scream waving the knife around in my direction again.

"Probably ran off like all the others," a voice says from near the bar and everyone chuckles except for us hostages. I can see the hatred and the anger burning hot in her eyes. I can hear how she blames me for her failed marriages and how she can't get a man. I'm the one to blame for her being stuck in this town in a dead end job scraping to make ends meet while she panders to the whims of her kids.

I watch her lift the gun in slow motion. Arlene fires one shot and I don't even flinch. There's no pain but I can hear glass falling behind me. The thump and following groan has people filing outside. There's a lot of shouting so I sit down and spread my mind out trying not to think of how I just pretty much accepted I was about to die. Someone was hit by the stray bullet. A flash of Hoyt on the ground blood oozing out his shoulder fills my mind. I skim through and find them all fighting amongst themselves. The outside people are blaming the inside ones for Hoyt getting hurt, some are arguing about the fact we are still alive and they should have just shot us on sight and some don't even want to be here.

Someone comes in grabbing a bottle of high shelf booze before hauling back out again taking several more with them. There's only six left inside now and they are all by the bar.

A full on fight breaks out in the parking lot. I can feel the pain and the anger as they all turn on one another. Bottles smash and there is the tell tale sound of punches landing. The sound of a big cat shrieking has everyone rushing to the windows trying to see what is happening. I can make out the snarly minds of at least a dozen Weres fighting, a couple loitering within the tree line. The last few men dive out the door adding random gun shots to the mix before they too are swallowed up in the claw and fist fight.

"We gotta go," comes a voice form the other booth and the two Hot Shots are running out the front door pulling off their shirts as they go. I call out but they are gone. They're right though this is our chance to get free. They are going to kill us one way or another once this fight is done.

"To the back door," I say rising out of my seat. Holly is up and heading that way before the words finish coming out of my mouth. Terry helps Jesus get Lafayette up and we start moving to Sam's office and the back door.

Holly is already at the door keeping watch her purse and keys in her hand. Once I'm through the office door I shut it, lock it and push a chair up against it just in case. When I turn to the others Terry had a shot gun and a hand gun. I've known Terry a long time and I've never been afraid of him regardless of what goes on in his head but right now armed and all I'm glad he's on our side. He looks at Lafayette and Jesus before nodding at his leg. The shot is covered in blood soaked napkins now tied up with something that looks like one of Lafayette's sparkly shirts.

"Go into the woods cut a circle and head to Sam's trailer. They won't look in there. No one's home."

"That's cos Sam be the one to hand us over. Got me out of my house and shoved a gun in my face," Lafayette tuts as he hops to turn himself around.

"Sam?" But he's..." I almost said it. I couldn't believe it. How could he?

"We gotta go!" Holly whisper shouts. We all nod in agreement. I check my pockets finding my phone safely tucked in. It's on silent for the bar so I know I won't get caught out if I get a call.

Terry goes out first tucking behind the bins shot gun ready and cocked. He waves us out. Holly goes first barrelling out around the back of the bar towards the woods on the other side. If she runs hard enough she can get home that way or if she's patient she can duck into her car and go.

Terry waves again and Jesus heads out with Lafayette's arm over his shoulder. They are hop running heading into the woods eyes on the front of the bar just in case as they hobble over through the tree line.

_Be safe Sook_ is all I hear from Lafayette before it's my turn.

I duck behind Terry giving his cheek a quick peck. He waves me off and I take off like a hell dog's on my heels heading through the tree line and veering off right. This way leads to nothing but woodland but I just need to get away and hide. I can't get home this way and even if I could both Gran and I would be stuck with my car here.

I weave through trees, duck under branches and hop over roots with a speed I didn't think I was capable of. My heart's racing along with my feet, my breath starting to come in pants. The loud echo of a shot gun blast reverberates through the trees and it sends me stumbling down a short incline. I don't land well scraping the skin off the side of my bare leg. Wincing against the sting I get up and keep going. There's shouting and bellowing going on behind me and then a few more shots. My head ducks with every shot. They are no where near me but it seems to be instinctive and it seems to add some more speed to my feet.

I can hear men shouting now making jeers and promises about what they will do when they find us. They aren't very imaginative but they don't need to be. 'I'm going to fuck you up' isn't all that original but fear as it is seems to be enough to keep me going.

I pass the first crumbling old hunting shed a few minutes before a shot hits the tree a few feet away from me. It makes me stumble over a root. Managing to catch myself I change direction heading towards the small pond. It's only small and there's no gators there because there is no food but a ways passed it is an old hollowed out tree. There's bugs and stuff in it but I should still be able to fit inside and hide for a while 'til they pass me around me. Beyond that I just don't know.

Another shot echoes out but it's no where near me and I thank the Lord as I see the water and the log. I'm mentally screaming curses when I reach it and find it's collapsed in on itself. I look around desperate spinning around for something anything. Hearing a cracking branch off to my right I dart left leaping over a fallen tree. I didn't see the the pit on the other side and ended up on my butt and side in a deep trench. I was about to climb out when I heard the thoughts of a few men one snarly similar to Were hazy over the distance but I could make out that they knew I had headed towards the water. If I tried to climb out now I would make a lot of noise and I'd be found. If I stayed I could maybe hide enough not to be seen as they passed by. The fallen tree created an overhang. Under it I could stay hidden. That decided I tried to shift a little of the dirt and plants to make room. Rocks and roots were digging under my finger nails but I could hear them getting closer. I could hear them chatting now with my ears aswell as my head.

Scrambling under the tiny gap I'd made I pulled some of the moss and roots near me as I brought my knees up under my chin. I stayed as still as I could when I heard them near the log.

"She was here look. Span on her heel or something," said one voice high and tinny.

"There's a hunting lodge up that way. She'll have gone there," a deep voice replies from close by.

"Yeah good thinking man. There's a bed there too." This one sounds young, a teenager maybe.

"Marty!" There's another. That's four so far.

"What? They said dead or alive nothing bout anythin' else."

"Shut up! We are not touching her." That was the deep one again. It seems closer and I can't help but tense up.

"What? Bet that pretty thing would do anything to be set free. We could all have a bit." I cover my mouth so I don't make a sound and I'm glad when a moment later a boot lands on the tree and a bulky dark haired man comes into view. He can see me easily from where he is stood but he just looks to the trees around him. I'm not breathing. I can't breathe.

"Let's go. We'll check the lodge and then double back," he says in his deep voice but doesn't move. I hear the others moving away, the loud mouth one picturing me naked and on my knees begging. The man looks to the others over his shoulder before looking at me finger to his lips before mouthing me to stay. I nod. I trust him. Don't know why but I do. He could have sold me out but he didn't.

As he takes a few steps away I push on his mind but I can't read it. It's red and snarly a clear sign he's a Were but there are no pictures, no words, no emotions. It's all locked down.

When I can only just hear them with my ears I get out my phone and do the only thing I can do. I text Gran's phone praying she knows how to use it and tell her to run. I'm hoping Eric's associate is there and came in a car. A few seconds later my phone lights up and I pull it to my chest to hide the light just in case. With a small peek I see that Gran has responded. Not believing she sent it for a second I worried one of the mob was with her as I read it.

'Where are you? Will come and get you'

I know it's not her there is no way she figured out texting in the short time we have had these phones and there was no way with her fingers that she had sent it so fast. I respond with 'somewhere safe. Just go. Will call.' I wasn't expecting anything back believing it was possible someone got to Gran but the closing message said it all.

'OK, Rendez vous point in place with Northman.' I mentally sighed in relief praying a thanks that Gran was going to be safe.

I wanted to message Eric, hell I wanted to call Eric and hear his voice but it was too early and I couldn't. I just couldn't. He was leaving me and I wouldn't get in the way of that. I needed him to be safe. There was a chance of getting out of this and I was going to find it and use it 'til I got to Gran.

Neither Gran or myself had spoken about where we were going to go and what we would do once we got there. I didn't know what we would do with the house and the land. Something clicked. The lawyer. The one with the fancy address that Gran sent a huge envelope to. One that could easily have held documents and deeds.

Shaking the thoughts from my head I looked at the clock on my phone. It was almost five thirty. It felt like I had been on the run for days not hours.

It got darker in the woods very quickly thanks to the heavily foliage. I'd tracked two groups around my hiding spot by that point, the original who circled around and around slowly in an ever expanding circle and one that seemed to have gotten lost if their thoughts were anything to judge by. Both had headed back towards the bar as soon as darkness started to fall. One of the men figured if I was still alive the wild animals would get me soon enough. His visualisations were very strange. I didn't think squirrels were nocturnal nor did they have the strength to pull my limbs off.

I got no more messages from Gran and didn't get anything from Eric. I'd hoped for a proper goodbye but I got nothing. Not even a message to say he had left. I tried not to touch the phone terrified of running the battery flat when I desperately needed it.

When it was so dark I could barely see my hand in front of my face I climbed out careful not to make any noise. There were no mental signatures around, there hadn't been any for a while, and the chittering of the bugs and critters told me there was no predator around. I figured I had two choices. Head further into the woods and pray I come out near Jason's place. There was an old motorcycle that belonged to my Dad buried in the garage. If it still worked I could use it to get our of town and call Gran. Or I could head back towards the bar and use my own car that I knew worked and do the same thing. The bar was an hour or two. I could maybe make it to Jason's in three or four hours if I didn't get lost in the dark. I could stay put but if I lasted til day break I wasn't sure the search wouldn't start back up again.

Choosing the bar I kept my shields down and my feet light. It was hard work trekking around in the dark. I stumbled over roots, got hit in the face with branches and moss. Every time something tickled my arm or bare legs I had to hold in a girlish squeal as I quickly swiped at the area.

The first sign of human life came with the silence of the woods. I stilled my feet and pushed out. They were some ways away but front and behind were lines of people scouring the woods for us. I went left hoping if I moved fast enough I'd miss the end of the line. I kept my footing careful so I would make as little noise as possible. Every now and then I would see a dash of light as they used torches to light up their way through the pitch black woods. After five minutes I found another line searching and guessed there was one opposite too. Unsure what to do I turned and walked back the way I came veering slightly more to the left. There had to be a gap big enough to get through before they boxed me in completely.

After a hundred yards I had to duck behind a tree or I would have been seen. A beam of light passed over where I had been only moments before but went sweeping off again. I knew I hadn't been caught yet and almost cheered when the line passed me by with no problems. I held still holding my breath as the footsteps crunched their way through the undergrowth. I could do this. The gunshot that hit the tree I was leaning on stopped that thought. I was on my feet and running but the shot at my feet made me slip and fall. I landed sprawled out across the mud my palms stinging from the friction. The click of a weapon's safety made me lift my head. Seven guns were trained on me. I was scared and shaking even more so when I read loud mouth only a few feet away. He made me feel sick to my stomach.

"We have your freak friends so just some quietly," said a harsh female voice ahead of me. I couldn't see her because of her flashlight blinding my eyes but it was a lie. They'd found no one so far. They almost had Terry but he had injured five of them before getting away vanishing into the woods leaving no trace. I was the only one they had come close to finding and they were desperate now. I bit my tongue to stop my snappy come back. There was no way out if my mouth got me shot.

I needed to think.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N So today is my ninth wedding anniversary and because of that I wanted to put this last chapter up.

I can't say a bit enough thank you to all of you who have read and reviewing this story. With almost a hundred reviews and over ten thousand views this is my most popular story that I've ever had here. It's pretty astounding when I thought I would barely get one person to read let lone review.

Each review has been a giddy highlight to writing and I've felt nervous every time I see one.

I'm toying with the idea of a sequel maybe based in New York but I will see how the must goes and see what it tells me. Now that I've finished season 6 I'll see what pops into my head for the wonderful duo.

I know a lot of you were surprised by Sam's betrayal in the last chapter and originally he was just going to fade into the background as the chapters went on but then came the idea of someone needing to turn on their own views in order to survive and I couldn't see it being Sookie or her Gran and it wouldn't be believable if it was Lafayette. For all that Sam is loyal (he does favour being a dog after all in the early episodes) he's been hidden a long time and he knows to keep hidden he has to either run and look even more suspicious or join in and hope for redemption but then Supes don't really think like humans.

* * *

Because I had surrendered they only tied my hands. It wasn't all that helpful trekking through the woods in the dark. I stumbled more times than I could count. The women in the group were up front. They didn't want to be near me. They thought I was poisoning the minds of their children. I didn't know them let alone who their children were so I had no hope of appealing to them. Loud mouth stayed way too close for my liking grabbing my arm whenever I slipped or stumbled holding on much longer than he should until he was told to stop being a creep by one of the women. He disappeared into the darkness of the woods after that. That boy made me nervous.

The other four men kept their distance as much as they held four corners around me only ever coming closer when the land required it. The way they moved was almost trained but I found no sense of military or otherwise in their heads only a blank spot. It was in all four of their heads in exactly the same place. Stumbling into one of them so he caught me I pushed harder using the contact as he helped me right myself to boost it. All I can see is them searching the woods then the spot and then guarding me. I was baffled but still afraid. I know once I get to where ever we are going I'm going to die. It will be painful and horrid and if I'm lucky I'll just end up dead quickly. I bring up my shields so I don't see the end before the end.

As we walked my own death march I noticed the sounds of the woods were back. They had come and gone a few times but now they were sounding as though even we weren't there. It was oddly comforting when I felt so terrified.

The men suddenly stopped. I froze along with them although I was several steps forward when I did. When they drew their weapons my heart stopped. I knew that was it. I would meet my death at the end of the gun of a bunch of crazy people in the middle of the woods of a small no wheres ville town. I'd just wondered if they would actually bury me or just leave me for the wild animals when the first shot was fired.

I stayed crouched on the floor making myself as small as possible as the four men fired into the darkness towards the front of the group. The chittering had stopped and now around the harsh bang of the guns there were gurgles and horrid snapping and crunching sounds. A breeze seemed to have picked up around me but it was moving around and around lifting the hair of my pony tail. It was only when the abandoned flashlights picked up a blur of movement that I realised there was no breeze, it was a vampire. The blur moved again only this time I could see a man's head jerk to the side before he fell limply to the ground. I'd risen slightly from my curled up position as I watched and listened to the blur move around this way and that. Hope blossomed in my chest that this was who I thought it was. A shot whizzed over my shoulder making me screech. I moved to duck but went up instead.

I still had my hands over my head and my eyes squeezed shut when I felt a hand brush over my hair. There were still the sounds of gunshots but they seemed to be getting further away. I opened my eyes only to see Eric in all his leather clad glory. My mouth wouldn't work so I settled for smiling at him. Wrapping my arms around him I discovered my feet aren't touching anything. A glance down had me scrambling to hold on tighter. We are high, very high off the ground. I can see trees for miles now.

My heart can't seem to stop racing.

The gunshots lull for a moment but then pick up again spreading out further and further. There are flashes here and there peaking through the breaks in the trees. There's the sounds of shouting, men and women screeching at eachother. I have no idea going on down there but I know the only armed person on our side was Terry.

"We must go."

"No my friends are still down there."

"The couple have already left. They left in the car about an hour ago. The soldier went into the woods. He hiked his way to a wooden building in the middle of the woods on a large estate."

"And Holly?"

"We couldn't find the witch. She used magic to disguise her trail but she did leave in her car."

"Holly's a witch?" I pulled back to look him square in the face but scrambled back closer when my grip faltered.

"Yes as are the other two." I'm wide eyed and in major overload so I just nod. How did I not know all of these things about these people, about my friends.

"Don't worry. One is part demon and knows the other has yet to realise his potential."

"How do you know all this? Were you having me followed?" All he does it smirk at me. I pause for a second wanting to wail and rant at him for being high handed but he just saved my life, again. I'm glad I trusted the Were. I have no doubt that it was him that was working for Eric.

"Come," It's only when he takes my hand that I realise we are on the ground and outside my house.

My house. My house with it's lights on.

Letting go of Eric's hand I run inside banging the door back as I enter. Gran is stood calm as you like in the entrance hall three bags at her feet as she fusses with her coat and argues with a huge wall of a man. I'm equal parts elated and frustrated to see her.

"Why are you here?" I ask my voice just a breathy whisper.

"Where else would I be?"

"I asked you to go?"

"I wasn't leaving you."

"I was fine. I would have come to you."

"If you think for one second Sookie Stackhouse I'm going to buy that swill you're peddling you've got another thing coming." Her attention is purely on me now, her hands now done with her coat. I've seen the look on her face before but it's never been directed at me. Jason yes, Bud and Andy yes. She looks disappointed almost with a side order of pissed. Gran is never pissed.

"Gran I love you but I've just spent I don't know how many hours running through the woods and hiding in dirt holes from a town that is trying to kill me and the only up point in it was I knew you were gone and safe." I'm crying now big fat heavy tears streaming down my face. The weight of the last few hours races up on me. My town, people I grew up around and with had just tried to kill me. Rene and those men had tried to kill me.

Gran wrapped her arms around me and as good as it felt it had to end. I wanted so badly to get lost in the familiar comfort but I couldn't. The town was still out there, still hunting. I had no time to fall apart.

I pulled away looking down at myself. I was covered in mud and blood and bits of leaves. What was left of my uniform was barely recognisable. It didn't matter. It wasn't like I was going back.

"I'm a mess."

"Six hours in the woods would do that," a strange voice said. I peered around Gran to the dark haired man. His head was the usual Were snarls so I guessed this was Eric's associate.

"We have little time," Eric said from behind me. "We must leave."

"Go Sookie. There's a change of clothes on your bed. There's no time for a wash up but it will do for now." I nodded as Gran tapped me on the butt to get me moving up the stairs. Pulling my shorts off quickly I tossed them in the bin beside my dressing table. I avoided looking in the mirror as much as I could.

I had one foot part way in my jeans when I heard a truck start up and peel out of the drive way. Panicking I tugged the jeans on and ran to the window in Gran's room as I fastened the zipper. The tail lights of a truck were disappearing out of sight down the road but I could see the lights from flash lights and head lights coming across the field next to the drive. A quick scan revealed Gran and the Were were gone. All that was left were two voids, two vampires, one near the front door.

I was back in my room dirty Merlottes t shirt over my head before I spotted Eric sitting at the end of my bed. I squealed ever so slightly behind tight lips when I caught sight of him clutching my t shirt to my chest.

"We are almost out of time," he growled. He was staring towards my window head tilted as though listening.

I grabbed the clean t shirt from the bed but couldn't see a bra. My drawers were open and empty so I opted to keep on the one I had on instead of going without. It wasn't all that clean but it was better than nothing. Forgoing one wouldn't be wise if I was going to end up running for my life again. When Eric began to turn around I pulled the t shirt over my head turning my back to him to hide by blushing face as I threaded my arms in.

"I've seen much more of you than that little one," he whispered in my ear, his body pressed against my back. His voice sent a shiver through me but it wasn't the time or the place. He pulled away slowly trailing his hand down my bare arm, his hand taking mine and guiding me out of the room. We were half way down the stairs when a large explosion lit up the house. I ducked behind Eric unsure of what just happened. I struggled down the stairs as he continued to walk undeterred by the loud explosion.

"It's only Pam and the RPG." If I thought hearing those words was bad seeing the flaming ball that was clearly once a truck sitting on my front yard out did it. The flames were roaring out of the truck's windows, the sound overwhelming.

I heard a curse before I was barrelled over a shot of red hair shaking around as the person tried to hit me over and over screaming like a banshee. I didn't even know I had walked to the edge of the porch but I could feel the dirt and gravel at my back as I tried to defend myself. Her hands were wild, fingers clawing and scratching at my face as though trying to claw my eyes out. I slapped one hand away getting a gouge in my cheek for my trouble. Using the opening I swung my fist hitting her cheek. There wasn't much force behind it but it got her off me and gave me the chance to hit her again. It hurt like crazy and I didn't like having to hit Arlene but I did and she went down hard.

I carefully stood up keeping a watchful eye on everyone around me. Pam had fists and feet flying unconscious or maybe dead people littering the ground around her. Eric was tossing his attackers around crashing them into one another or just sending them flying down the yard.

A flash at the corner of my eye had me turning to catch the glint of a blade before it was gone. I knew my brother's back better than anything and he was no holds barred pummelling a bald headed guy. His knife was on the floor beside him as was a small handgun. I grabbed both and turned ready to fight.

_Stake the bitch._

I twisted around catching the stake headed to Pam's unguarded back before I saw the man. Raising the gun I took aim but the man collapsed before I fired. A giant Viking was holding a head in his hands where the man once stood. Behind him stood Sam and a shot gun aimed at his back. I fired before he did but Eric was still hit falling to his knees with an animalistiic snarl. It echoed through the woods and had everyone stopping.

I'm sure I screamed. I'm positive I did when I heard the second shot from the man that stepped in front of him and Eric's body rocked from the force. There were only a few still standing but they didn't last long. In a rage fit of a berserker Eric and Pam whizzed around in a constant blur. No one was standing now. There was some spluttering noises and the roar of the flaming truck but a relative quiet fell on my yard now everyone was down. And so was Eric.

Dropping the gun and knife I ran over to him falling to my knees at his side. The shot in his chest was still open blood pouring out slowly. I took his face in my hands.

"What do you need? What can I do?"

"Go."

"No Tell me," the revving of an engine nearby had me crouch over Eric expecting the worse.

I wasn't expecting the blood splattered arm that appeared lifting Eric up as though he was nothing. He hissed but moved getting up and stumble walking. Taking his other side we headed towards a very familiar red truck. Sam's truck. As Eric climbed in I looked back to where Sam went down. I didn't know if he was dead or alive. It hurt so much that he had turned on me. When a tear slipped free and ran down my cheek I swiped at it angry at myself.

The roar of more engines coming down the nearby road had me whizzing around in fear.

"Go Sookie. I got this," came Jason's voice from near the porch. He was surrounded by weapons, a rifle in his hands.

"No Jason."

"Go Sookie. Don't come back. You hear. Just take care of Gran." I nodded as I walked the few feet to the truck mouthing an I love you to him before slipping in the back with Eric. I had just slammed the door when Pam took off. I looked out the back window to my brother falling to his knees as he fired a shot up in the air.

We bounced down my bumpy drive at an insane speed the old truck rattling in protest. Eric grunted at each bounce although I doubted he was willingly making the noise. There was a set of headlights directly behind us now but they were gradually getting further away.

"What do do?" I asked Eric but when he didn't reply I looked to Pam.

"The bullet is silver. It need to come out so he can heal from the buckshot in his back."

"How?"

"Either with your fingers or by sucking it out." I nodded shifting in my seat. His black t shirt had a distinct hole in the centre of his chest. I tore at it making the hole bigger. Thankfully he was propped up at an angle against the door and the seat or there would have been no space for me to climb into his lap as I now was.

I felt the edges of the wound. I could feel his breast bone and the bullet lodged in it.

"It's stuck in the bone." I said trying not to sound as hysterical as I felt.

"Then fingers and mouth sweetness. It needs to wiggle free." I nodded syching myself up for this. A glance at Eric's face had me worried. He was paler, grey almost. I turned to Pam her eyes catching mine in the rear view mirror. She mouthed hurry and that's all the incentive I needed. If she was worried for her maker then things must have been bad.

With a cringe I pushed one finger into the bullet hole. When I touched the bullet I tried to wiggle it a little flinching back when Eric hissed. I switched options putting my mouth over the wounds. I sucked and felt it move but when I tried again nothing. I pushed my tongue in feeling it wiggle again. I sucked again and again it moved a little. I swallowed the mouthful of blood I had too desperate to get the bullet out to spit it away. A little more tongue and Eric moaned beneath me his back arching a little though I wasn't sure if it was pain or pleasure. My eyes locked onto his face feeling aswell as seeing his eyes watching me. Closing my eyes I sucked a final time and the bullet came free with a huge amount of his blood.

Twisting I spat the bullet out onto the truck floor the blood left in my mouth dripping down my chin. The bleeding stopped but the wound doesn't close. I don't understand. Now he looks even more grey than before.

"He needs to feed," Pam growls swerving the truck around a corner. The headlights are gone now but with Pam's crazed driving I wasn't too surprised. I leaned over putting me closer to his face. The cut from earlier is right in front of him but he does nothing. I shift my hair clearing the way but still nothing.

"Eric," I whisper but he just looks at me. Taking his face in my hands I beg.

"Second exchange. You do not know what you are asking." He whisper groans trying to free his head from my hands.

"I don't care tell me later. Just please, feed." He watched me searching my eyes for something. Whatever he's looking for he must find as he brings his mouth to my neck licking and kissing over and over. I'm tingling all the way down to my toes and the only reason I know he's bitten is I can feel him pulling at the bite. It feels amazing. My fingers thread through his hair and my back arches as he pulls away licking his bite.

Eric's mouth was on mine the moment I straightened, his tongue sweeping through my lips. It was like he was searching for his taste inside of me as I tasted myself inside him. He pulled me in closer to him, deeper into his lap as the kiss went on.

The car skidded to a stop jolting us. I pulled free panting against Eric's lips. I was ready to kiss him again. Before I could I was blinded by a bright light coming through the truck's window.

"Can you step out of the vehicle please?" I freeze suddenly afraid of what was on the other side of the door. I slipped into the heads of the dozen or so people around. There were a couple of Were's but the one who spoke was a clear broadcaster. They were army.

Feeling like I could breathe again I reached for the handle opening the door slowly. I could hear behind me Pam doing the same. Climbing over Eric I jumped down and moved clear of the door so Eric could get out. When I saw him get out easy and smooth as though he hadn't just been shot I turned around only to be met with the business end of a rifle. I yipped jumping back with my hands up.

I looked around desperately trying to figure out where I was and where I could run to when I saw the sleek looking plane. The door was open and a short flight of stairs led down to two people arguing. One was military the other my Gran. She didn't look happy about not being allowed off the plane.

A smartly dressed man walked up to Eric with a man in military gear and a clip board following him.

"Name.

"Eric Northman, this is Pamela Swynford de Beaufort." He didn't introduce me and I felt an a flicker of annoyance burn at my insides.

"Your plane was set to depart almost an hour ago Mr Northman."

"We were detained."

"By what Mr Northman? What could have held you when you were so insistent upon leaving tonight?" I decided to speak up. The man's tone was annoyingly condescending and I just didn't like it.

"He was saving my life." The man turned to me taking me in a though he hadn't noticed me. I held in the urge to roll me eyes. "Most of the Parish has been set out to kill me all day. Mr Northman and Ms Swynford de Beaufort were kind enough to help me escape."

"And you are?"

"Sookie Stackhouse."

"Is the woman currently threatening one of my men related to you?" He asked his face as irritated as he voice.

"Yes sir that's my Gran. And they aren't threats. She will do each and everyone of them." I held my face straight as I heard him mentally splutter. Both Pam and Eric had a raised eyebrow at me. My gran raised me to be polite and to sound polite even if what I said wasn't.

A loud boom had everyone looking down the road. Headlights were lighting the darkened stretch we had come down. Hooting and hollering with the occasional gun shot could be heard and the men around me sprang into action.

The thoughts of the last few fighting members of Bon Temps were beyond pissed. They all were filled with such anger and hate towards me and towards the vampires. I caught a glimpse of Jason here and there but nothing too much to spring any concern. What did scare me was how some of them were on a suicide mission. We were to end up dead at any cost.

"They caught up with us? How?" I looked to Eric and Pam hoping they knew something.

"We passed several sentry points. I drive fast." Pam said. I'm guessed she would have preferred something that could go faster.

"Be on your way Mr Northman before I ground your flight. I have work to do." I didn't get to say anything as Eric scooped me up and sped to the plane the sound of automatic gunfire behind us.. Gran was scrambling up the top step when Eric put me down at the base of the steps. I didn't look back as I entered the small space of the plane. The dozen or so seats were large and plush set out in sets of fours and twos with an alarming amount of leg room. I sat in the one beside Gran on the opposite side to the door taking her hand as I heard the plane begin to fire up. Pam blurred into her seat across from Gran. Eric disappeared towards the front of the plane before blurring into the seat across from me.

Out of the four of us Gran was the only one who looked refined enough to be seated on the beige leather seats. Pam's hair was rather fly way her hands and arm still covered in specks of blood. There were platters of mud and soot up her black clad legs, her boots virtually unrecognisable. Like Pam Eric too had splatters of dirt up his legs and across his boots pieces of it crumbling to the carpeted floor. He was covered in blood, his own and that of others, his shirt torn up to show his pale chest that too was covered in dried clumps of blood. I looked from his chest to his face happy there was more colour to him than there had been. I knew I was just as filthy as they were. I could feel the day clinging to my skin.

With a deep breath I closed my eyes and began to pray as the noise from the engine grew and we began to move. I prayed for forgiveness for all the people that were hurt and dead because of me. I prayed for forgiveness for all the hate and pain that plagued our little town. I prayed for forgiveness for the guilt I didn't feel over my actions to save lives. I prayed that Lafayette and Jesus and Terry and Holly and her kids stayed safe and that Jason would find his way again. I prayed that Sam wasn't dead, that I hadn't killed him in defense of another and that he could forgive me. Lastly I prayed that Eric and Pam and Gran would be safe and be happy.

By the time I'd finished the plane had levelled off and we were in the air.

"I'm sorry Gran," at her incredulous look I continued. "You left your home because of me." She patted our linked hands and she smiled.

"Child there's only three things that kept me in that rickety old house. One was you and I have you here. The other was your brother and there is nothing I can do now to save him from himself, Lord knows how I have tried and the third will find me wherever I end up." I know who she's talking about but I fear saying anything but I do.

"Fintan." It's a statement more than a question.

"Yes child. He's the reason you are who you are and the reason you can hear." She pats me again turning to look out the tiny window and I know she will say no more until she's ready. It's fine by me. I'm still a little overwhelmed by everything that's happened today. I think I will be for a long time.

"So, Mr Northman where is this plane taking us?" Gran asks. She looks more relaxed than I have seen her for quite some time.

"New York. You are welcome to stay in my apartment there if you choose. We will not need it."

"Where are you going?" I ask smiling. He knows what I'm really asking I'm sure. As the silence grows around us watching each other he smirks.

"How are you with snow, Adele?"


End file.
